tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67987729049481620542018-03-03T00:05:47.613+07:00Travel on My FaceAlycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-2130351347694374292012-10-18T23:53:00.003+07:002012-11-12T00:57:16.016+07:00Body Image Abroad<br /><!--StartFragment--> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EAhnXBahMNA/UH9EcphGOYI/AAAAAAAAFbc/_2qJ5rhvXLY/s1600/chinese-face-mask-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EAhnXBahMNA/UH9EcphGOYI/AAAAAAAAFbc/_2qJ5rhvXLY/s200/chinese-face-mask-4.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No its not the Revolting Blob.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="MsoNormal">It’s an inevitable ordeal; every time I go overseas for an extended amount of time the scale leans much farther to the right than normal. Like I’ve said before, I’m a <a href="http://www.travelonmyface.com/2012/05/culinary-enlightenment-in-chiang-mai.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">foodie (non douche bag kind)</span></a> and part of experiencing different cultures is tasting all the glorious food! Gaining a few lbs. here and there during your time abroad is pretty normal and shouldn’t be dwelled upon. Just know that if you’re shopping and want to try something on, the teensy Asian girl behind the counter won’t hesitate to tell you that you’ll bust the seams open if you even look twice at that dress that’s caught your eye. Co-workers and strangers will not falter to tell you where you’ve gained a pound or two. </div><a name='more'></a>Don’t let their bluntness offend you; brutal honesty is part of their culture unlike in America where the topic would be danced around like an elephant in the room. So SUCK IT UP!<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--dZ43DG3l-A/UIAro5CNtHI/AAAAAAAAFb8/sgyF2UqPbXQ/s1600/307678_816431617400_6913992_39598723_513242507_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--dZ43DG3l-A/UIAro5CNtHI/AAAAAAAAFb8/sgyF2UqPbXQ/s200/307678_816431617400_6913992_39598723_513242507_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UPAs_JC1yxQ/UIAsB2HxV5I/AAAAAAAAFcE/Hr9jXnuXs4Y/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-10-18+at+11.18.41+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UPAs_JC1yxQ/UIAsB2HxV5I/AAAAAAAAFcE/Hr9jXnuXs4Y/s200/Screen+shot+2012-10-18+at+11.18.41+AM.png" width="148" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>&lt;--October '11 On the light side.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Nov '11, Chunk Master Flex.--&gt;</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">But did you ever think of the other ways our body image could haunt you while visiting other countries? Even the most confident folks can be self conscious at times when someone is actually telling your face what’s wrong with you. Its one thing to gain and shed a couple of pounds but what if you can’t change something about yourself that’s socially unacceptable?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Westerners tend to love tanned skin. A bronzed glow represents health, relaxation and even prosperity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>To spend a day poolside and not working shows you have time and money to relax or take a vacation. In Asia, every body and their mom wants to have creamy white skin and for some people that’s just not going to happen. But being as white as a glass of milk does a body good. To them, it’s the poor laborers who must bake in the sun all day while working in the fields. Those citizens in the rare air-conditioned offices and out of the SE Asian scorching sun tend to make higher salaries and therefore are part of a higher societal class. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UA4ylhvHPL0/UIAvK8vBY7I/AAAAAAAAFco/uRViEkxG1fU/s1600/DSC05214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UA4ylhvHPL0/UIAvK8vBY7I/AAAAAAAAFco/uRViEkxG1fU/s320/DSC05214.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laborers working in a field in Luang Prabang, Laos.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">As a result, all skin products in Asia contain a dreadful whitening agent. Shopping for face wash or a stick of antiperspirant was a huge burden for me. Not only do regular sticks of deodorant not exist, but there are whitening agents in face wash, lotion, deodorant and even makeup! Rows upon aisles of well-known brands in America with an eastern twist occupy the shelves. I do not want to scrub my blackheads and blanch my skin simultaneously, but thank you for asking. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pkXT4c4cJQE/UIAwyGtVejI/AAAAAAAAFcw/Ak7g5FFUNko/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-10-18+at+11.39.10+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pkXT4c4cJQE/UIAwyGtVejI/AAAAAAAAFcw/Ak7g5FFUNko/s320/Screen+shot+2012-10-18+at+11.39.10+AM.png" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An example of some whitening products in Asia.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zdD7Vx9m4ss/UIAzBXjWRQI/AAAAAAAAFdQ/huf1sGaEh8k/s1600/photo-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zdD7Vx9m4ss/UIAzBXjWRQI/AAAAAAAAFdQ/huf1sGaEh8k/s320/photo-1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes it's really Whitening Placenta Face Wash.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Surprisingly, bleaching chemicals in skin products aren’t extreme enough for some people. Sunscreen and umbrellas are amateur for Chinese beach goers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The citizens have taken a day at the beach and turned it into a scene from a bank robbery with the newest fashion called “face-kini’s.” That’s right, people have resorted to swimsuits for their face to prevent the sun’s UV rays from turning their natural skin pigment a shade darker. SPF 100, a hat, and umbrella are just not going to cut it on the Chinese coast this summer. Perhaps this is why they’ve never created an Asian style Baywatch show. Here’s an idea, why not stay out of the sun? I guess they’d have to develop an artificial way to absorb Vitamin D.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3gz7HfSGq1c/UIAxB0hiVzI/AAAAAAAAFc4/zweUrnlYQ1Y/s1600/slide_245778_1407217_free.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3gz7HfSGq1c/UIAxB0hiVzI/AAAAAAAAFc4/zweUrnlYQ1Y/s320/slide_245778_1407217_free.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese locals just chilling at the beach and displaying the newest fashion: face-kini's.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OOXyNGeIDps/UIAxyw3h2_I/AAAAAAAAFdA/D09Bc9vETg8/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-10-18+at+11.43.06+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OOXyNGeIDps/UIAxyw3h2_I/AAAAAAAAFdA/D09Bc9vETg8/s320/Screen+shot+2012-10-18+at+11.43.06+AM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Put your hands up and drop the beach ball!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ipzkW_zm5nY/UIAx5k85sWI/AAAAAAAAFdI/-0I9LmGGyvE/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-10-18+at+11.42.51+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ipzkW_zm5nY/UIAx5k85sWI/AAAAAAAAFdI/-0I9LmGGyvE/s320/Screen+shot+2012-10-18+at+11.42.51+AM.png" width="262" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wading in the sea water and casually sporting face-kini's.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">All in all, your body image is perceived differently in different cultures. That’s why they made chocolate and vanilla. Perceptions of beauty are in the eye of the beholder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I say let’s just forget about the beholder and stick to what counts on the inside! In Asia where your outside appearance is almost as important as what’s on the inside, it’s difficult to not allow your emotions to get entangled with the sometimes hurtful honesty from your new friends and those surrounding you. Just be yourself and please don’t ever let me catch you with a face-kini. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><!--EndFragment--> Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-45191269861991099612012-09-01T23:55:00.002+07:002012-09-01T23:58:14.876+07:00Silk Street Market Bargaining Trick<!--StartFragment--> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IjGQd88_mZU/UEI4rRiYnCI/AAAAAAAAFaI/HzQ65aCFc7g/s1600/DSC03519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IjGQd88_mZU/UEI4rRiYnCI/AAAAAAAAFaI/HzQ65aCFc7g/s200/DSC03519.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 7th floor covered in jewelry.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="MsoNormal">I unintentionally discovered the best way to get the greatest deals at markets. Make the seller feel sorry for you. <a href="http://www.travelonmyface.com/2012/07/beijing-bucket-list-of-attractions.html">The Silk Street Market</a> is THE place in Beijing to buy all those perfectly replicated name-brand items. From fake Nike tennis shoes to counterfeit North Face duffel bags, this shopping mecca has every product under the sun. I moseyed up to the 7<sup>th</sup> floor full of jewelry of all sorts.</div><a name='more'></a>Tons of pearl necklaces, gems, jade, watches, gold and silver rings sparkled from every square inch of the massive room. A pair of gold and coral earrings with a matching necklace caught my eye so I peered over the glass case making sure to leave enough room between me and the counter so that merchants wouldn’t notice my curiosity and hound me. Showing the slightest interest in any product is like a red alert signaling a vendor to harass customers. <o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dS2jZO6Rz4s/UEI5iVdgCeI/AAAAAAAAFaQ/TWB1RniJw-k/s1600/DSC03515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dS2jZO6Rz4s/UEI5iVdgCeI/AAAAAAAAFaQ/TWB1RniJw-k/s320/DSC03515.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shoe section at the market with every type of brand name shoe imaginable.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Nice jewelry isn’t exactly in my budget these days and that’s the last thing I need to stuff in my already too heavy backpack. Of course, the little Chinese lady behind the counter spotted me. She began with her spiel in pretty decent English so I decided to be polite and tell her “No thanks” instead of just staring and walking away like I normally do. For some reason, she really had her invisible rope tied around me and I stuck around reluctantly. Although I had zero intention of purchasing the jewelry set, she whipped out a calculator and punched in a ridiculous price for the necklace and earrings that were now out of its home in the glass case and in my ears. “Give me best price, best price.” I said to her, “Really, I love them but I cannot even say, it’s too low, I really can’t afford them.” She looked at me and said “Oh, you student?” After a moments hesitation I replied, “Why yes I am.” Seller lady immediately cuts the price in half and revealed it to me on her calculator.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>I was merely amused at this point so I stuck around. I conjured a nice story just for my own personal entertainment: I was a student studying for a bit in China. Soon enough my friend Michele approached. Michele was now my sister and my seller lady complimented us on how much we look alike and how beautiful we were. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UICiDna2RUM/UEI7F-ioueI/AAAAAAAAFaY/B0EsJHy3iTY/s1600/DSC03518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UICiDna2RUM/UEI7F-ioueI/AAAAAAAAFaY/B0EsJHy3iTY/s320/DSC03518.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More jewelry at the Silk Street Market.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Michele joined in on the fun and started talking about “mom” and how she would love to borrow them and we miss her so much, etc. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Price cut in half again. HALF. Now I just feel bad, but the price is still too much. I was having fun bargaining with the woman; it gave me a little blast of elation. The bargaining game gave me the feeling of gambling when the stakes are high and you could lose it all in a moment if you don’t choose your words wisely. Eventually I got her to cut the price into halfsies again. Now I just feel so bad that I said “screw it” and bought them. You know what, I had zero buyer’s remorse too. I ended up paying a tenth of the original price she suggested which gave me a sense of satisfying pleasure like I’d won an intense game! I have no idea how much they are worth so I’m hoping I got a good deal.<o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WayG-bRrr2M/UEI92I5aM8I/AAAAAAAAFa4/NwnO3hEjqIQ/s1600/Photo+on+2012-09-01+at+11.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WayG-bRrr2M/UEI92I5aM8I/AAAAAAAAFa4/NwnO3hEjqIQ/s320/Photo+on+2012-09-01+at+11.52.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The coral necklace and earring I purchased.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><!--EndFragment--> Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-4589518122062099962012-07-12T14:57:00.002+07:002012-07-12T20:39:34.914+07:00Beijing Bucket List of Attractions<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r2uKfYvass0/T_6Av2xihyI/AAAAAAAAFZ0/RX1F8IJV4g0/s1600/IMG_3002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r2uKfYvass0/T_6Av2xihyI/AAAAAAAAFZ0/RX1F8IJV4g0/s200/IMG_3002.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting the Great Wall.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The population of Beijing is 19.6 million human bodies. If you need a comparison to understand how massive and congested the city is, it’s the same population as the entire country of Australia. My friend Maggie has been working and living in the giant Asian metropolis for over two years so I decided what better time to pay her a visit!<br /><a name='more'></a> <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Once I arrived via train into one of the numerous city train stations, I had directions to her office to pick up her apartment key and from there to the apartment since she was at work when I arrived. Over 4 hours after the moment of arrival in Beijing did I actually step foot into Maggie’s apartment. I asked people for directions along the way to confirm I was going in the correct direction, but before you know it I’ve backtracked, crisscrossed, and walked in the complete wrong direction. One of the buses I was on was so crowded that I couldn’t get off at my bus stop so I had to squeeze through the crowd to get off at the next stop. I attempted to figure out where I was on my map and find the nearest subway stop, which apparently was right next to me, but a man instructed me to walk in the complete opposite direction. Let’s just say once I settled in Maggie’s abode, I stayed put for a while. I spent about 10 days in Beijing and saw as much as I could but the huge city is bursting with history, activity and uniqueness that it’s impossible to do it all! Below is a&nbsp;Beijing bucket list of must see attractions.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Alycia’s Top Attractions in Beijing:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1C0VtziDQ14/T_553O2CpgI/AAAAAAAAFYU/P30EmLVpcKA/s1600/DSC03634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1C0VtziDQ14/T_553O2CpgI/AAAAAAAAFYU/P30EmLVpcKA/s200/DSC03634.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got yelled at for taking a pic of Mao.</td></tr></tbody></table><ol><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pgQNd1FsnHk/T_56HyxR7qI/AAAAAAAAFYc/VzeDrL0D_UY/s1600/DSC03635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></ol><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. Forbidden City</b> – This is the #1 tourist attraction in China. Yes, even more than the Great Wall. Get an audio-guided tour because you will learn about the soap opera shenanigans that went on inside this massive compound. Thousands of mistresses for one emperor, castrated servants, and architecture galore. It’s like “As the World Turns” China style but heaps more twisted.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pgQNd1FsnHk/T_56HyxR7qI/AAAAAAAAFYc/VzeDrL0D_UY/s1600/DSC03635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="85" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pgQNd1FsnHk/T_56HyxR7qI/AAAAAAAAFYc/VzeDrL0D_UY/s400/DSC03635.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The entrance into the Forbidden City.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pYmTLsGGfCk/T_57aOeeEvI/AAAAAAAAFYk/ea_J-ub4OQA/s1600/DSC03398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pYmTLsGGfCk/T_57aOeeEvI/AAAAAAAAFYk/ea_J-ub4OQA/s200/DSC03398.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hutong in Beijing.</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. Hutongs</b> – During my Beijing 101 lesson from Maggie, she explained one of her favorite things about the capital is exploring the many hutongs and now I understand why! Hutongs are small streets or alleyways that form neighborhoods. Meander and get lost in a community of hutongs. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Nanluoguxiang </b>is a necessity to visit due to its charming shops selling unusual clothing and accessories, eateries, and art galleries strung along a good mix of locals and visitors. Make sure to use a public squat in a hutong, you’ll never be more grossed out by anything ever again. I guarantee your tolerance for unclean bathrooms will shoot through the roof. Find a random restaurant where no one speaks English and have a beer in a hidden bar.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CthrJw67rwk/T_58L56GfrI/AAAAAAAAFYs/GCPwSV8A-sk/s1600/DSC03439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CthrJw67rwk/T_58L56GfrI/AAAAAAAAFYs/GCPwSV8A-sk/s320/DSC03439.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nanluoguxiang hutong filled with locals and tourists.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d-7sVGxmfdQ/T_584irG7_I/AAAAAAAAFY0/lUBolSDl_wo/s1600/DSC03994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d-7sVGxmfdQ/T_584irG7_I/AAAAAAAAFY0/lUBolSDl_wo/s200/DSC03994.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer Palace with a view of the lake.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. Summer Palace</b> – On a clear pretty day, the Palace blows away all other fortresses you’ve ever seen. On a gorgeous lake with a view of the city in the background, Summer Palace gives off a peaceful vibe even amongst its thousands of daily visitors.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u1W_GlBPL98/T_59aNVuAbI/AAAAAAAAFY8/RBgE_oq889Y/s1600/DSC03741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u1W_GlBPL98/T_59aNVuAbI/AAAAAAAAFY8/RBgE_oq889Y/s200/DSC03741.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preparing a Peking duck.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4. Eat Peking Duck</b> – Beijing (“Peking” in Mandarin) is famous for its delicious duck. Beaucoups of restaurants boast they have the best bird in town, but they’re all superb. I was taken to a local dive with the famous goose on the menu. I was served magnificently prepared duck meat with tortilla type wraps to place it in. Onion and celery slices should be added next and a thick teriyaki sauce last. Roll up and tadaa, you have tasted the most delicious duck in the world!&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--HEC9M3o1Fg/T_59lfb_BCI/AAAAAAAAFZE/iO6eJM72qo8/s1600/DSC03422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--HEC9M3o1Fg/T_59lfb_BCI/AAAAAAAAFZE/iO6eJM72qo8/s200/DSC03422.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Locals praying at the Yonghe Temple.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">5. Llama Temple</b> – There are hundreds of temples in Beijing but Llama (Yonghe) is one of the more popular for a purpose. The colors and intricate detail of the patterns and symbols become engrained behind your eyelids. Its one of those places you stare at for a few seconds, close your eyes, and see the psychedelic patterns and colors change like a kaleidoscope in your mind. It’s definitely worth a visit.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IA1GmbksRSE/T_5-yt31yVI/AAAAAAAAFZU/eALrrjuf1XE/s1600/DSC03538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RyerqNNc1C0/T_5-VjtPkII/AAAAAAAAFZM/KpRKyf2_HIA/s1600/DSC03585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RyerqNNc1C0/T_5-VjtPkII/AAAAAAAAFZM/KpRKyf2_HIA/s200/DSC03585.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird's Nest in Olympic Park.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">6. Olympic Park &amp; Bird’s Nest</b> – When you step off the subway at the Olympic Park stop, you enter a futuristic time warp with giant steel structures and modern architecture. In 2008, Beijing hosted the Olympics and an entire new area of town was added to the old historical city. National Stadium, the most eye-catching attraction in Olympic Park, is an incredible arena that resembles a colossal bird’s nest. Nowadays, the space is used to hold festivals and large events. The plot is bustling with locals and tourists alike maximizing on the spaciousness to work and play.</div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IA1GmbksRSE/T_5-yt31yVI/AAAAAAAAFZU/eALrrjuf1XE/s1600/DSC03538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IA1GmbksRSE/T_5-yt31yVI/AAAAAAAAFZU/eALrrjuf1XE/s200/DSC03538.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stunt at the Acrobat show in Beijing.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">7. Acrobatic Show</b> – Beijing is eminent for the acrobatic skills from over the years. Luckily, Maggie’s roommate is a tour guide so she was able to score some extra tickets for an acrobat show. The performance is usually about an hour but it’s jam packed with jaw dropping talent. The finale was a mind-blowing spectacle of 4 motorbikes zooming inside a dome cage without colliding into one another.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0gkP56UdKew/T_5_JRqHi5I/AAAAAAAAFZc/kcogD4MtBL0/s1600/DSC03547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0gkP56UdKew/T_5_JRqHi5I/AAAAAAAAFZc/kcogD4MtBL0/s200/DSC03547.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Houhai lit up at night.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">8. Nightlife</b> – Houhai is a diverse area of bars and restaurants surrounding a lake. The district is lit up with multicolored illuminations like Christmas lights in the North Pole. The sight is really beautiful at night but if you’re looking for something low key, this is not the place. Each bar blares music louder than its neighbor and karaoke singers’ voices belt from door to door. Great Leap Brewery is a nice chill out pub hidden in a hutong with unique and potent beer.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qwpGlh-h8TM/T_5_imEV_6I/AAAAAAAAFZk/N8_ZTQXBGOs/s1600/DSC03855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qwpGlh-h8TM/T_5_imEV_6I/AAAAAAAAFZk/N8_ZTQXBGOs/s200/DSC03855.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jinshanling part of the Great Wall of China.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">9. Great Wall </b>– There are 3 different sections of the Great Wall that sightseers can visit. I chose the Jinshanling portion, which is the greatly unrestored part. There are other very Disney World-like portions but I wanted to see the barrier in its natural state, naturally. You can book this day trip with a tourist company, which are dispersed throughout the city. Jinshanling was a great choice and I highly recommend going to this portion to avoid the crowds.</div><div><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J8o4BGLzVas/T_5_1SlhJRI/AAAAAAAAFZs/LylrTsL6IdI/s1600/DSC03515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J8o4BGLzVas/T_5_1SlhJRI/AAAAAAAAFZs/LylrTsL6IdI/s200/DSC03515.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of a shoe stall at the Silk Street Market.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">10. Silk Street Market</b> – China is the King of copycats. The country has managed to create an entire market for faux goods. From North Face pullovers and Charmin toilet paper to fake pork and alcohol, China has managed to counterfeit every item under the sun with exact precision. The Silk Street Market is 7 floors of every product ever imagined – Nike, Tory Burch, Swiss Army, Coach, Chauco, North Face, Toms. If you are in the mood, take a walk around this shopping mecca and be ready to bargain your face off. Stay tuned for an upcoming post about my bargaining adventure at the Silk Street Market.<br /><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">There’s too much to do in Beijing - The Bell and Drum Tower, Temple of Heaven, the Beijing Zoo! These suggestions are some of the things I did during my few days but you can see and do so much more!<o:p></o:p></div></div></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-13132779147209243352012-07-08T21:51:00.000+07:002012-07-08T21:51:31.606+07:00Oops I Split My Pants!<!--StartFragment--> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a7S2_c97UU4/T_mDkHISc1I/AAAAAAAAFXE/tlUvTGQcvN4/s1600/540675_10100730074501732_883553349_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a7S2_c97UU4/T_mDkHISc1I/AAAAAAAAFXE/tlUvTGQcvN4/s200/540675_10100730074501732_883553349_a.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple bottom baby.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="MsoNormal">Despite the research I did to educate myself on China before I visited, I was still in for quite the special treat. During my first few days in the massive country, I followed dimple-bottomed babies around trying to capture their split pants because I was so fascinated. Children ages 0-potty trained wear clothes with splits in the private part sections. That’s right, diapers do not exist in China. Kids pee and poo in the streets due to the easy access fashion style encouraged by all citizens. Yes, the clothes are purchased with the split already in the pants because I asked. When you have to go, simply squat whenever and wherever!</div><a name='more'></a><o:p></o:p><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hkgW-oZroTU/T_mFeiTLp7I/AAAAAAAAFXM/boxSIoxIoNk/s1600/DSC02514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hkgW-oZroTU/T_mFeiTLp7I/AAAAAAAAFXM/boxSIoxIoNk/s320/DSC02514.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Popping a squat on the sidewalk. Casual.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">In some ways it makes a lot of sense. Think about all the waste in western countries from diapers. Think about how economically efficient this is for your wallet. Americans spend about 7 million USD on diapers each year and an estimated 27 billion diapers are sold and disposed in landfills each year. Only thing is, this is where the ‘ol hygiene factor comes into play. No one picks up the child’s poop on the streets so you just have to dodge it like dog poo. Not exactly sanitary but you’re saving a few yuan. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">As a newcomer to the split pants world, I had a few interrogations concerning these kiddos: “How does one hold a split pants child?” “Do they mark their territory like doggies?” “Does their tender vegetation get cold?” “Are they more injury prone since their parts poking out?” A few of these questions were unintentionally answered. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TK2sdbvQgEw/T_mNG1ZbP0I/AAAAAAAAFXs/Hzr0BdQqUik/s1600/IMG_3022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TK2sdbvQgEw/T_mNG1ZbP0I/AAAAAAAAFXs/Hzr0BdQqUik/s320/IMG_3022.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching monkeys at the Beijing Zoo.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I was in Luoyang, following a split pants child and his mother crossing a 4 lane street. The kid had to go so he stopped in the middle of the street and just went for it. Like I said in <a href="http://www.travelonmyface.com/2012/07/quirky-qualities-of-chinese.html">Quirky Qualities of the Chinese</a>, drivers go on red, so cars whizzed by this kid while he whizzed in the middle of the street. It scared the daylights out of me, I nearly picked him up and ran across the street to safety but he finished his business and continued to the other side unharmed.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JZP4tUoMbIE/T_mIxSLmX2I/AAAAAAAAFXY/kE3Jp1XMQrM/s1600/DSC02773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JZP4tUoMbIE/T_mIxSLmX2I/AAAAAAAAFXY/kE3Jp1XMQrM/s200/DSC02773.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Babysitters Club at the Longmen Grottoes.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">While I visited the Longmen Grottoes, young couples handed me their children for pictures like I was the Easter Bunny. I wasn’t exactly sure how to hold these babies since their privates are sticking out all over the place. Do you hold them a special way so if they have to go the mess doesn’t go all over you? There were bare butt cheeks and tiny wee-wees in my face all day, but luckily I stayed clean and dry.</div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5UUQX7jl-XQ/T_mLbd2iNcI/AAAAAAAAFXk/FVxPpHNIzdY/s1600/IMG_2148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5UUQX7jl-XQ/T_mLbd2iNcI/AAAAAAAAFXk/FVxPpHNIzdY/s320/IMG_2148.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attempting how I'm going to hold this baby boy with his parts exposed.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">There’s nothing like seeing a chubby tushie waddling in front of you. The sight never became humdrum during my visit in China. As much as I enjoyed chasing after these bare bottomed beauties and snapping as many revealing photos as possible without getting reprimanded by parents, I’m not sure if split pants is the best solution for un-potty trained children. Overall, I think the split pants trend has its good and bad aspects but when I have kiddos of my own I’ll stick to diapers.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p1mfdc2FVS4/T_mZ1l17tdI/AAAAAAAAFX4/8MlfLfDDFy8/s1600/DSC02725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p1mfdc2FVS4/T_mZ1l17tdI/AAAAAAAAFX4/8MlfLfDDFy8/s320/DSC02725.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a stroll with dad and an 80's sweater.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pbNNTDMJ4LE/T_maepd9zGI/AAAAAAAAFYA/S2I5ncUDYGs/s1600/DSC03277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pbNNTDMJ4LE/T_maepd9zGI/AAAAAAAAFYA/S2I5ncUDYGs/s320/DSC03277.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing on a fountain in a park in Xi'an.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PztNo-Bt1CA/T_mcBFM2edI/AAAAAAAAFYI/upZXrZNNkNo/s1600/DSC02518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PztNo-Bt1CA/T_mcBFM2edI/AAAAAAAAFYI/upZXrZNNkNo/s320/DSC02518.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peace, Love, and Split pants children.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><!--EndFragment-->Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-39804775301788962282012-07-06T18:03:00.000+07:002012-07-06T18:03:23.146+07:00Quirky Qualities of the Chinese<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CryLVlXlNmQ/T_a28TPyjDI/AAAAAAAAFV0/KFQfR7C1PZ4/s1600/IMG_2230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CryLVlXlNmQ/T_a28TPyjDI/AAAAAAAAFV0/KFQfR7C1PZ4/s200/IMG_2230.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dumpster diving in China is dangerous!</td></tr></tbody></table>I read articles, blogs, and literature about China before visiting the country and I also went to school with many Chinese students during my semester at Corvinus in Budapest so I thought I had a significant grasp on their distinguishing actions. I have to be honest, when reading about the spitting and pushing in article after article I thought perhaps these writers are over exaggerating. I prepared myself for the frustrations and freak-outs but I was shocked at how accurate the recollections were.<br /><a name='more'></a> I decided to give a little more detail into the way of the country so if you visit China you will be prepared. Don’t forget your face mask.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c4aUSJgwPPI/T_a7QBKhSyI/AAAAAAAAFWQ/ycPaHQwcwRY/s1600/DSC03387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c4aUSJgwPPI/T_a7QBKhSyI/AAAAAAAAFWQ/ycPaHQwcwRY/s320/DSC03387.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another day in paradise (Beijing).</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hygiene</span></b></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b>They could use a little help in this department. Hygiene doesn’t seem to be a concern at all and I think (hopefully you agree) in a country of 1.3 billion people, you need to make sure everyone is disposing of their bodily fluids in the most beneficial way. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O98CI6hJkNY/T_a4XWIbJtI/AAAAAAAAFV8/AFQK1BsPNBg/s1600/DSC04837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O98CI6hJkNY/T_a4XWIbJtI/AAAAAAAAFV8/AFQK1BsPNBg/s200/DSC04837.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty clean toilet. The smell, not so much.</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Bathrooms:</b> A great way to sum up the bathrooms in China is “hell on earth.” If you don’t believe me you can take a looksey at an <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/24/world/asia/beijing-toilets/index.html">article about the latest law on bathroom regulations in Beijing</a>:&nbsp;If there are more than 2 flies in one stall, someone is not doing their job. I won’t go into great detail about what you’ll see in the bathrooms, but be prepared for bodily fluids from all categories spread on the squats, floors, and walls, of a Chinese WC. Bring a fly swatter and a scarf to tie around your face because I think just breathing in a Chinese toilet could give you a disease. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Spitting: </b>The Chinese believe it’s bad for you to swallow your phlegm so spitting and hawking loogies is a daily occurrence. Between 6:00 to 8:00am, it’s like a competition of who can make the most commotion when hawking a loogie due to the superfluous quantity of phlegm after waking up. When you walk, don’t look down because you will vomit in your mouth at the globs mucus dispersed along the path. A word to the wise: when you hear someone revving up, move out the way because you may receive a fresh glob presented in your path and you don’t want to deal with that. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Manners</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Eating:</b> In China, I sometimes ate with my iPod in my ears because of the disgusting sounds that engulfed me. Pretty much dinner table etiquette that westerners consider inappropriate is kosher in China. Slurping, smacking, spitting, and excessively loud clearing of the mucus in one’s throat are common sounds while consuming a meal. If any of these noises annoy you during mealtime, it’s not a bad idea to bring an iPod or sit in a corner of the restaurant. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rjyMxktv_RM/T_a6zObMZBI/AAAAAAAAFWI/s5PfzJCdc_I/s1600/DSC04681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rjyMxktv_RM/T_a6zObMZBI/AAAAAAAAFWI/s5PfzJCdc_I/s200/DSC04681.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trash in a cemetery in the mountains.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Trash Disposing:</b> Unlike Thailand, there actually are trashcans throughout the cities. Even with that said there is a mass disregard for trashcans in this nation. Citizens throw litter on the ground with no qualms yet there are philosophical signs all over cities about saving the trees and flowers. With 20 million people in one city and everyone throwing a piece of trash on the ground, it adds up. Don’t do as the locals do and find a bin to rid your rubbish.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VTcg7aGfndk/T_a_XFkfv2I/AAAAAAAAFWk/rIwgZGQ-I8o/s1600/DSC03229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VTcg7aGfndk/T_a_XFkfv2I/AAAAAAAAFWk/rIwgZGQ-I8o/s320/DSC03229.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pile of vials ALMOST in the trashcan in Xian, China. &nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b><br /><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-APMVWAlhZiE/T_a9qUblqkI/AAAAAAAAFWc/hoA2dIBavDE/s1600/DSC02873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-APMVWAlhZiE/T_a9qUblqkI/AAAAAAAAFWc/hoA2dIBavDE/s200/DSC02873.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No space bus ride in Luoyang.</td></tr></tbody></table></b><br /><b><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Personal space:</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> Do not try to form a line or queue up anywhere. It’s every man for himself, you&nbsp;have&nbsp;to be aggressive, BEE-EEE AGGRESSIVE! This was very difficult for me at first but after getting pushed and shoved and cut in line after I’d been waiting I started getting right back in people’s faces. The old ladies are the worst by the way, they will run you over like a bulldozer.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Smoking</b>: Everybody and their mom chain-smokes cigarettes in China. Folks are allowed to smoke inside any place desired including trains, shops, hospitals, buses, restaurants, and daycare centers. I don’t know how they can get out of bed in the morning with the mix of pollution in the air and smoke filled lungs! It’s really unfortunate on long train rides because you step off smelling like you just walked out of a pub.<br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Driving</span></b> &nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ezqjJOAuN3M/T_bEghaevzI/AAAAAAAAFWw/Q-YQt_EbI-o/s1600/DSC02513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ezqjJOAuN3M/T_bEghaevzI/AAAAAAAAFWw/Q-YQt_EbI-o/s200/DSC02513.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taxis and buses on a street in Luoyang.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table>China is the scariest place to ride in a car or any type of moving vehicle. &nbsp;Drivers honk constantly so it just blends in with the everyday city sounds and becomes less of a warning signal. People blast their horn when they are in drive just to simply say “I’m driving down the street, so watch out.” Red lights mean go, green lights mean go. Make sure to look both ways when crossing the street to avoid getting pancaked by two oncoming cars.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />These are just a few observations to help prepare you during your trip to China. In order to stay safe and healthy, be aware of your surroundings and don't forget to buy a trendy face mask and hand sanitizer along for the journey.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l7OjiT5bcVg/T_bE4dSOcNI/AAAAAAAAFW4/NmhK9k5MO3A/s1600/DSC02846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l7OjiT5bcVg/T_bE4dSOcNI/AAAAAAAAFW4/NmhK9k5MO3A/s320/DSC02846.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one time people use a trashcan. When they want to "recycle" the pokers.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-17030576912440170892012-06-20T18:42:00.000+07:002012-06-20T18:43:41.608+07:00China – The Great Leap of Patience<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-frtftJiwbPY/T-GysMZMeRI/AAAAAAAAFVY/sJq5sChmzYU/s1600/IMG_2635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-frtftJiwbPY/T-GysMZMeRI/AAAAAAAAFVY/sJq5sChmzYU/s200/IMG_2635.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Llama Temple in Beijing.</td></tr></tbody></table>It takes a special kind of person to visit China. I’m not that person. Although I had unforgettable experiences, saw amazing sites, met incredible people, ate delicious food, and got a deeper insight into the complex and incredible Chinese history, I also wanted to punch someone in the face. I had more breakdowns than normal. It also took twice as long as I projected to get through the country due to the language barrier. I could write a book on numerous incidents that occurred in China while attempting to book bus tickets, plane tickets, getting directions, and asking for food.<br /><a name='more'></a> Looking back now, I wish I had a camera following me at all times because I can’t possibly make up how ridiculous the interactions are with the locals and the (mis)communication that ensued. I share this (now) hilarious bond of frustration that stems from the multifaceted society with foreigners I met in China or thereafter. Commencing my writing about China has taken me a while because I needed to mentally process all the sites, experiences, and interactions first.&nbsp;I also didn’t want “big brother” coming after me, I mean I am illegally using Facebook as it is.&nbsp;To start the documentation of my Chinese travels I wrote a few scenarios that give you a minor insight into Chinese culture aka the Twilight Zone.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Scenarios from my China travels:</span></span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4nALRV5WFY0/T-GtyoPn48I/AAAAAAAAFVM/DOSXTu2qW10/s1600/IMG_2199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4nALRV5WFY0/T-GtyoPn48I/AAAAAAAAFVM/DOSXTu2qW10/s200/IMG_2199.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photosession in Luoyang with some admirers.</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Celebrity Status in Luoyang</b> – I visited my Chinese friend in her “small town” of 6 million people. Ever heard of Luoyang, China? Didn’t think so. Apparently they don’t see many westerners so when I arrived for the opening of the Peony Flower Festival (China’s National flower), I was followed by a parade of Chinese fans as if I were a celebrity. I had to turn people down who asked for pictures because after a while there was a sea of natives encircling me as if I were Charlie Bucket holding the coveted golden ticket. Aggressively, people yanked at my arms and pulled me every which way like a rag doll to get into one of their photos to show off the foreigner to their friends. One guy even tried to kiss me in the picture. That’s when my friend stepped in and told everyone the photo-shoot was over and I was whisked away to safety until a new herd found me.<br /><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-csNBjf1Fw4w/T-Gy9IyY0kI/AAAAAAAAFVg/Oqd9Iox0jgk/s1600/534178_10100760861673992_433910440_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-csNBjf1Fw4w/T-Gy9IyY0kI/AAAAAAAAFVg/Oqd9Iox0jgk/s200/534178_10100760861673992_433910440_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My doctored ankle &amp; foot a few days after using the spray.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pharmacy in Beijing</b>– I developed a stress fracture in my foot at some point during the incessant hiking and walking with bad shoes. After I couldn’t stand to tough out the pain any longer, I sought the nearest pharmacy to collect pain relievers. At the immediate sight of westerners, the 5 Chinese men and women in white coats quickly dispersed to find a “menu” of English options for me to describe what the heck inspired me to stroll into their shop. None of the options stated “fracture” or “sprain” or anything relatively close to how I was feeling. I decided to take off my shoe and sock to show the pharmacist lady my clearly swollen and bruised foot. She fumbled under the counter for a moment, pulled out a box of band-aids and tossed the carton in my direction. It was one of those days where you just get frustrated at everything and my injured foot was a constant reminder of that frustration with every step I took. I just wanted a bandage that would give my foot a little support or perhaps Advil to lessen the pain and swelling but her lack of empathy just ticked me off. I didn’t hide my anger well so she brought me some spray to appease me. Yes, herbal spray for a fracture! In China, they believe in more natural and herbal ways of healing. But spray, really? I was so mad I just started crying. I reluctantly bought the spray and found an elastic wrap with no help from the pharmacist. Don’t tell anyone but I think the herbal spray kind of helped. <br /><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Document Debacle</b>– I was racing against time to find the train station in Luoyang and make it there before it closed. After taking a bus in the wrong direction, detouring to take a taxi, and actually getting to the train station I had about 10 minutes to spare. Written neatly in Chinese characters, the girls at the hostel wrote exactly what train I needed to purchase, what time, the destination and all other details on a piece of paper. After the train lady took a look at it and typed a few things in her computer, she wrote something on the piece of paper and slipped it back to me under the glass window dividing us. I looked at the paper and saw a new Chinese character added to the mix. Really? I looked at her and give her all the “I obviously cannot read this and don’t understand what you’re saying to me” gestures one would give in this situation. I pointed to a new departure time on the paper. Maybe the tickets for the original train time are sold out, I’m assuming. Nope, that wasn’t it either. I started running around the train station yelling “Does anyone speak English?!” I only heard crickets and received stares, so I left feeling defeated. When I arrived at the hostel, I asked “What does this character say?” The girl at the front desk responded, “Passport.”<br />REALLY!! Couldn’t she have made a little gesture with her hands or maybe drawn a small picture? I guess we have to start this process over again tomorrow and stay in this town for another day and night…<br /><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AN3BSVVytcM/T99gttw-R-I/AAAAAAAAFUw/js9N1TcqBKE/s1600/IMG_2528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AN3BSVVytcM/T99gttw-R-I/AAAAAAAAFUw/js9N1TcqBKE/s200/IMG_2528.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lovely dinner of stomach.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Curiosity Didn’t Kill the Cat</b> - Chinese people are very curious, some may say “nosy” but let’s not put them down, eh? These curious Siamese cats usually want to know everything about you – “Where are you from?”, “Why you are visiting their country?”, “What hotel are you staying in?”, “How old are you?”, “How much money do you make?”, etc. In the rare occasion that you do find someone who speaks English (or they find you), you will get not only all these questions plus a hundred more but you will not be able to depart from their presence even if you went running in the opposite direction. They’d come after you. This quality has developed many interesting events for myself such as a Chinese couple taking me out to a traditional dinner of cow stomach and gizzard and not allowing me to pay for my “meal.” <br />One young guy parked his bicycle at the sight of us and escorted my friend and I in a night market and asked us a million questions about business in America because he is a “business man.” Funny, he never told us what type of business he was in. We made him explain what every single food item was and ordered our meals and then took us to a Michael Jackson street performance. <br />Two adorable English major students escorted us to the White Horse Temple along with the mother and grandmother of one of the girls who were in town visiting from Mongolia. Soon after the Temple, the girls ditched mom and grandma and gave my friend and I their tickets to a Peony Flower Festival for free.&nbsp;</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SzeaideuNBM/T99h2txaRAI/AAAAAAAAFU4/rYIWWHacZMQ/s1600/DSC02881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SzeaideuNBM/T99h2txaRAI/AAAAAAAAFU4/rYIWWHacZMQ/s320/DSC02881.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Horse Temple with Grandma, mom, and one of our new friends "Crystal."</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Buying a bus ticket from Kunming to Dali</b> – The unfortunate part of travel is that even if you read or research ticket schedules and prices in advance, chances are its outdated or someone is trying to rip you off and you never know which one it is. Due to this, I always have my guard up. Out of 10+ bus ticket purchasing windows at the bus station in Kunming, zero of the vendors spoke English. A drunken homeless man who speaks no English and probably gibberish Chinese felt confident enough to take on a role as tour guide. As he spoke to me in Mandarin with his whiskey infused breath in my face, I stood weighed down by my heavy pack as well as stares from all the people in the bus station and I flipped out on him. Poor guy was just trying to help but it was not the right time to try his tour guide skills. Eventually we paid the price to get on the bus and arrived in Dali. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzE4EpxBZps/T-GsMKl3DFI/AAAAAAAAFVE/CbUivjyZCyo/s1600/DSC05059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZzE4EpxBZps/T-GsMKl3DFI/AAAAAAAAFVE/CbUivjyZCyo/s200/DSC05059.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our saving grace who brought us to the hostel.</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">How to Get Lost</b> – If you are in the mood to get lost, ask a Chinese person for directions. I guarantee if you ask 7 different people how to get to your destination, each person will tell you a different path. I know this from experience. I was trying to take a city bus (#3 to be exact) from the bus station to my hostel. The route seemed pretty self-explanatory; I knew how many stops to take and what to look for when I disembarked from the automobile. Only problem was I could not find the stop for bus #3 anywhere! I resorted to the handy dandy Lonely Planet phrasebook. I gave up speaking Mandarin a long time ago because no one ever understood my attempts at the difficult tonal language so I pointed to the word “bus” in Chinese characters and gave the hand symbol for “3.” I asked this question SEVEN times because each instance I arrived to a new bus stop and none were for the #3 bus. Every person pointed their fingers in completely opposing directions. Finally, a nice girl about my age spoke a decent amount of English and guided me all the way from the bus station to the hostel even though she was already at her destination. She didn’t ask for money or attempt a scam, she simply wanted to help some lost souls out of the goodness of her heart and practice her English as well. <br /><br />You always have the good with the bad. China was super frustrating at times but someone would come out of the woodwork to go above and beyond for you and it ended up being a special experience. Interacting with the locals and taking the more authentic routes is much more eventful (as you can see) than taking the easy path. If things were tranquil, I wouldn’t have nearly as many stories to tell when I’m in the old folks home some day.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oANsIzEH03Y/T-G0Ugdi-fI/AAAAAAAAFVo/WYg5cAxNQns/s1600/DSC02549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oANsIzEH03Y/T-G0Ugdi-fI/AAAAAAAAFVo/WYg5cAxNQns/s320/DSC02549.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the Peony Flower Festival in Luoyang!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-3739638547103686692012-06-02T16:40:00.001+07:002012-06-02T16:40:36.926+07:00Pai the City of One Love<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aDzDRkVr4fs/T8XY7bVKVmI/AAAAAAAAFTA/NcNajCrUk_s/s1600/DSC02361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aDzDRkVr4fs/T8XY7bVKVmI/AAAAAAAAFTA/NcNajCrUk_s/s200/DSC02361.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pai's slogan - it's all about the love.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I rode up to the northern city of Pai three deep in a song taew with a French guy and an 80-year-old Thai lady with a bulging tumor in her neck who insisted I refer to her as “Momma.” The three-hour winding ride from Chiang Mai to Pai is one of the country’s less known hot spots. But its notability is on the rise, so act fast! Pai is a very tiny hippy town nestled in the mountains of northwest Thailand. It’s the kind of place that plays Bob Marley and reggae music in every restaurant and shop you pass. <br /><a name='more'></a>Once I arrived to the Giant Guesthouse with Momma, I settled in my bamboo hut and began to explore the charming bucolic town. The whole city has no more than 2,300 people and if you’ve ever visited New Orleans it’s like an entire town of Magazine Street. Each building is painted with vivid color combinations and there are tons of delicious eateries, art and jewelry shops, and welcoming bars. Locals from Pai are all about loving one another and their city. Natives don’t strain for guests to feel the affection that Pai exudes. With the slow pace of life, the “no worries” mentality and friendly smiles on the residents’ faces, you’re sure to instinctively adopt a love of Pai before the end of your visit. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>THINGS TO DO IN AND AROUND PAI:</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. Explore the town by foot</b> and find one of a kind handmade merchandise created by local artists and bargain with the best of ‘em.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><br /><o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6bQWw73w2P0/T8XZjuxFkPI/AAAAAAAAFTI/PiYG-7TzG5s/s1600/DSC02317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6bQWw73w2P0/T8XZjuxFkPI/AAAAAAAAFTI/PiYG-7TzG5s/s200/DSC02317.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fantastic restaurant with a diverse menu.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. &nbsp;Sample the delicious and inexpensive street food at the night market or dive into one of the many local restaurants</b> for scrumdidliumtious cuisine. Some must eat joints:<br />-<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Witching Well</b> – You could eat every meal here and not be sick of amazing selection. <br />-<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Art in Chai</b> – Sit with a good book and enjoy the best cup of chai tea you’ve ever tasted.<br />-<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Curry Shack</b> – Try the local yellow curry with brown rice, only available in Pai.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iNcU9UpFEXk/T8XafAlPASI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/3rN7ufkS3G0/s1600/DSC02332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iNcU9UpFEXk/T8XafAlPASI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/3rN7ufkS3G0/s200/DSC02332.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local yellow curry from the Curry Shack.</td></tr></tbody></table>-<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dinner near the temple on the hill</b>– Visit the Wat Phra That Mae Yen temple and scoot down to the mountainside restaurant (can’t miss it) for a great Thai dish and a view of the sunset over the hills.<br />-<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Muslim Thai Food Bakery</b> – Pick up pastries for your motorbike basket and have a picnic in the middle of nowhere.<br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HL6AuQkkDqE/T8Xj4TrveLI/AAAAAAAAFTs/CnRBD_V19NY/s1600/DSC02268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HL6AuQkkDqE/T8Xj4TrveLI/AAAAAAAAFTs/CnRBD_V19NY/s200/DSC02268.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Power Ranger on a motorbike.</td></tr></tbody></table><b>3.</b> &nbsp;<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Rent a motorbike</b> – Motor biking is the main way to see springs, waterfalls, and temples that are spread out and hidden throughout the mountainside. Don’t be scurred if its your first time driving. It’s a great place to learn because the streets are not bustling with traffic. Some guesthouses distribute coupons for certain motorbike shops so ask before you rent. Don’t forget insurance and a helmet!<br /><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<b>4.</b>&nbsp;Take a trip to the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mhor Pang Waterfall</b> – DO NOT RENT A BICYCLE TO DO THIS! I didn’t get the memo and it took all my strength to pedal my squeaky bike 8 km uphill in the blistering heat. I nearly passed out. The waterfall is a refreshing reward at the end of a long hot ride though. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">*Don’t buy weed or opium from one of the many ladies trying to sell it to you on the way up.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x84I6cSXluM/T8XkqYOnFLI/AAAAAAAAFT0/in_0a5loDmY/s1600/DSC02200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x84I6cSXluM/T8XkqYOnFLI/AAAAAAAAFT0/in_0a5loDmY/s320/DSC02200.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a break from the scorching bike ride to capture the Pai countryside.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: yellow; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<b>5.</b> Head out to the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">local Hot Spring</b> – There are two Hot Springs, one for foreigners that charge 200 baht and one for locals that’s difficult to get to but only 20 baht. The latter is not advertised but your <span id="goog_179807884"></span><span id="goog_179807885"></span>guesthouse owner should know about it if you ask. The hour ride is worth it on a motorbike as the scene while riding out there is phenomenal. Once you reach the entrance, the rocky and steep jaunt begins. Go slow and be careful.<br /><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GeC3uPTgBMA/T8nTRiYgnPI/AAAAAAAAFUA/zl24XIkEMfw/s1600/DSC02362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GeC3uPTgBMA/T8nTRiYgnPI/AAAAAAAAFUA/zl24XIkEMfw/s200/DSC02362.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost Famous bar in Pai.</td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<b>6.</b>&nbsp;<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Have a mojito from “Almost Famous” bar</b>. They have about 30 flavors of mojitos and have a buy 4 get one free special, so take a group from the guesthouse and start tasting! I really enjoyed the passion fruit mojito.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br /><br /><br /><br />&nbsp;<b>7.</b> Drive out to the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pai Canyon</b> to get a perfect glimpse of the sunset or a daytime view of the peaks mixed in with the green forest.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QT_CoGn0OxE/T8nV0-HkyeI/AAAAAAAAFUM/Hk-_DU3uRpQ/s1600/DSC02288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QT_CoGn0OxE/T8nV0-HkyeI/AAAAAAAAFUM/Hk-_DU3uRpQ/s320/DSC02288.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me atop a hill at the Pai Canyon.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<b>8.</b> Pick up the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">monthly events calendar</b> from your guesthouse or a local dive and find out what parties, music, and specials are going on while you’re in town – the pool parties are pretty rowdy.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<b>9.</b>&nbsp;<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lay in a hammock</b> all-day and read, write and keep an eye out for blue-headed lizards.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OQUcknaEuB0/T8nYluojGTI/AAAAAAAAFUY/Ngn6-EW4xZc/s1600/DSC02236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OQUcknaEuB0/T8nYluojGTI/AAAAAAAAFUY/Ngn6-EW4xZc/s320/DSC02236.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue-headed lizard I spotted while reading in my hammock.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; <b>10.</b> Sit around a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">moonlit bond fire</b> and get deep with complete strangers from all over the world.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Just lay back, relax, and fall in love with Pai!</b><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A5BZOU-14XI/T8ncpsSjI0I/AAAAAAAAFUk/DIpmpMUImzU/s1600/DSC02328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A5BZOU-14XI/T8ncpsSjI0I/AAAAAAAAFUk/DIpmpMUImzU/s400/DSC02328.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant bamboo heart on the roadside in Pai.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div><span id="goog_100772510"></span><span id="goog_100772511"></span></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-11357092259619767412012-05-25T16:26:00.003+07:002012-11-12T00:59:08.732+07:00Culinary Enlightenment in Chiang Mai<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hCOnV6hx6ok/T79K_ErMFMI/AAAAAAAAFNg/zJXjSN1MjyI/s1600/576319_3161329432268_1236270208_32790180_289915869_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hCOnV6hx6ok/T79K_ErMFMI/AAAAAAAAFNg/zJXjSN1MjyI/s200/576319_3161329432268_1236270208_32790180_289915869_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying some self made som tom.</td></tr></tbody></table>Urban dictionary defines “<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=foodie"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">foodie</span></a>” as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">douchebag who likes food</i>.&nbsp; I prefer to think the correct definition of foodie is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a person who really likes good food and likes to eat a lot</i>. The latter description best describes me. I don’t think I ever evolved from Freud’s oral fixation stage. After spending much time in Thailand and sampling countless dishes over 6 months, I decided to enroll in Baan Thai Cookery School in Chiang Mai for a day of cooking lessons in order to bring my love of Thai food home to my own kitchen.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The full day of cooking began at 9am when “Apple” our instructor directed us to choose which meals we wanted to prepare. The menu consisted of 5 courses with 3 options and each person chooses whichever dish they prefer from the selection.&nbsp; The table holds nine students of whom were from all corners of the world and one instructor. Once everyone introduced him or herself and chose their cuisine choices, the group headed out to the local market to purchase the necessary ingredients. Although I have been to numerous markets, there are still many questionable veggies, spices, and hanging meat that I don’t know. Luckily, Apple cleared up all the unidentifiable ingredients with an explanation and crash course into Thai veggies, herbs, and spices. With baskets of fresh components in hand, we headed back to Baan Thai excited to create the first concoction. <o:p></o:p><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nEdnV8NtxJQ/T79MJVTY72I/AAAAAAAAFNo/eHARMg4kDrg/s1600/DSC01661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nEdnV8NtxJQ/T79MJVTY72I/AAAAAAAAFNo/eHARMg4kDrg/s320/DSC01661.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Menu of our selections.<br />I chose green curry, fried cashew nuts and chicken, seafood soup in coconut milk, papaya salad, and mango and sticky rice.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VPq2ZPhwt9k/T79MsgAirzI/AAAAAAAAFN0/liACqEt6yj0/s1600/DSC01668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VPq2ZPhwt9k/T79MsgAirzI/AAAAAAAAFN0/liACqEt6yj0/s320/DSC01668.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple explaining the different Thai vegetables flavors and tastes.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>My first dish was stir fried cashew nuts and chicken. Nuts are definitely not used enough in American dishes. Our table and another group who selected a certain dish break off into their designated kitchen where an instructor has necessary materials set up at your own station and gives a demonstration on how to prepare the dish.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KWkCjkFWZlE/T79NI3GjtnI/AAAAAAAAFN8/HuEl6QmtdOY/s1600/531814_10100658067339662_9130442_52655986_46852063_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KWkCjkFWZlE/T79NI3GjtnI/AAAAAAAAFN8/HuEl6QmtdOY/s320/531814_10100658067339662_9130442_52655986_46852063_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Instructor giving a demonstration for preparing the dish.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />With oil splashing everywhere, I managed to fry cashews, cook chicken and add my veggies and spices together to recreate one of my favorite meals and it turned out great! Once you finished preparing your dish, you take it to the table and chow down. This is a great time for the novice chefs to get into a multi-cultural conversation while enjoying their self prepared dishes. After only a few moments of digestion, it’s time for the next course. The cycle repeats itself until each person has cooked and consumed 5 courses. By 4 o’clock, if you’re not in a food coma, you’re ready for a serious nap at the table. You’re already sitting on the floor so it’s difficult to resist sprawling out. <o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rmbJomX5YmE/T79NibTnD3I/AAAAAAAAFOE/rfHiI3wZfv0/s1600/527884_10100658067664012_9130442_52655990_139100839_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rmbJomX5YmE/T79NibTnD3I/AAAAAAAAFOE/rfHiI3wZfv0/s320/527884_10100658067664012_9130442_52655990_139100839_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the crew eating their Thai concoctions.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">After the course, each member keeps their own recipe book with all dishes, even the ones you didn’t prepare, as well as an explanation and full color picture for every vegetable, spice, and ingredient that is used in Thai cooking.&nbsp;If you love Thai food, you should take a cooking course. It’s a great way to meet some folks and bring your skills home to impress your friends.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YPPa8nmljIk/T79NvCfxV4I/AAAAAAAAFOM/8rZ5u9VP9gg/s1600/522645_10100662444892012_9130442_52677146_2036899439_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YPPa8nmljIk/T79NvCfxV4I/AAAAAAAAFOM/8rZ5u9VP9gg/s320/522645_10100662444892012_9130442_52677146_2036899439_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with the mortar and pestle grinding up chilis.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R1Ru9klqUF4/T79OL6o1L1I/AAAAAAAAFOc/9VS33WFSfPg/s1600/557398_10100662446907972_9130442_52677157_906336543_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R1Ru9klqUF4/T79OL6o1L1I/AAAAAAAAFOc/9VS33WFSfPg/s320/557398_10100662446907972_9130442_52677157_906336543_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My som tom (papaya salad). Nice and spicy.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lCV63-F_SzM/T79N3Rl93bI/AAAAAAAAFOU/VaL4GLd8ofc/s1600/524093_10100662491892822_9130442_52677319_2027079455_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lCV63-F_SzM/T79N3Rl93bI/AAAAAAAAFOU/VaL4GLd8ofc/s320/524093_10100662491892822_9130442_52677319_2027079455_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My decent green curry. I'll have to work on this one because it's my favorite.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-23043678300071953252012-05-17T21:00:00.001+07:002012-05-17T21:02:06.527+07:00A Dawg Eat Dog World - Trekking in Northern Thailand<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-REQ3j-8-yLw/T7N-TjY3rgI/AAAAAAAAFCE/qSIMOYgwsYw/s1600/551719_3126072710872_1236270208_32770611_1187183404_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-REQ3j-8-yLw/T7N-TjY3rgI/AAAAAAAAFCE/qSIMOYgwsYw/s200/551719_3126072710872_1236270208_32770611_1187183404_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bathing elephants in the river.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I’m sure you already know that when you head to northern Thailand, you HAVE to do a trek, the landscape is gorgeous, the hill tribes are inviting and the memories are magical. In Chiang Mai, I went on a 3-day trek, a popular tourist activity when visiting northern Thailand. Many of these tours can be over crowded and un-unique because of the massive demand nowadays. <br /><a name='more'></a>Fortunately, my friend “Boon” runs a guesthouse in Chiang Mai and Pai. He’s a member of the Karen hill tribe, which is one of the few remaining hill tribes in northern Thailand. His best friend, Jackie Chan who I later nicknamed Rusty Sanchez (Rusty), took three friends and me on a semi-private trek through the mountainous hills of Pai where we got to spend time in Boon’s native village with his family. On my 3-day trek I managed to hike until my legs felt like jello, bathe an elephant, bamboo raft down a river, and eat dog. I’m sorry PETA. Trekking was one of the coolest activities I’ve done in Thailand, highly recommended. <o:p></o:p></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pdFqRMhLLNk/T7N_HxfcvKI/AAAAAAAAFCM/bINplRKblp4/s1600/DSC01814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pdFqRMhLLNk/T7N_HxfcvKI/AAAAAAAAFCM/bINplRKblp4/s200/DSC01814.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rusty with a dead cicada.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Six of us loaded the song taew for the 3-hour drive north to Pai to begin our trek in the peaks. The first few hours of trekking were uphill in the raging heat but the gorgeous scenery distracted me from how out of breath I was – over rocks, sides of cliffs, through the woods, and a to chilly waterfall. By the time the sun was coming down, the group arrived at the Karen hill tribe village for the sunset. I met Boon’s dad who I’m pretty sure was high as a kite because his eyes were pink and barely open as I shook his hand. This is opium country after all… The village was filled with bamboo huts and children running around excited to see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">farang</i>faces. Tweenage girls were sewing their silk sarongs while the elders came in from their work in the fields. Unfortunately, I couldn’t use any of my Thai to talk with the locals because Karen tribers have a completely different language. We set up shop in our sleeping quarters, which was a large bamboo hut with individual palettes draped in mosquito netting and got ready to cook dinner. <o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R0QpqGGiycU/T7OJ-fQGoaI/AAAAAAAAFCY/FwvuILK__t8/s1600/DSC01840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R0QpqGGiycU/T7OJ-fQGoaI/AAAAAAAAFCY/FwvuILK__t8/s320/DSC01840.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teenage girl sewing her sarong.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Y9l5OH_SZ0/T7OL07hdBUI/AAAAAAAAFCg/oM4qOA_fwcI/s1600/DSC01845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Y9l5OH_SZ0/T7OL07hdBUI/AAAAAAAAFCg/oM4qOA_fwcI/s320/DSC01845.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little boys stop playing to check out the farang in town.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l9PIk_5pLfw/T7O4Q_gmx8I/AAAAAAAAFDI/MoqpDIiK73o/s1600/DSC01848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l9PIk_5pLfw/T7O4Q_gmx8I/AAAAAAAAFDI/MoqpDIiK73o/s200/DSC01848.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preparing dinner.</td></tr></tbody></table>The group sat down to eat family style on the floor with some of the locals and wow what a spread! The feast included a dish of dog might I add. I am the ultimate dog lover, but I didn’t want to be rude so Dawg ate a bit of doggy. It’s really tough and I couldn’t get past the spices and chilies so I didn’t get an actual taste. It’s also chopped up with all the bones so I have to say it wasn’t a pleasant experience and my facial expressions didn’t hide this. You know what they say, “When in a Karen Hill Tribe…”<o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VhA23Oo7gt8/T7O5Sfi66TI/AAAAAAAAFDQ/qeUKPW1SEGI/s1600/DSC01858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VhA23Oo7gt8/T7O5Sfi66TI/AAAAAAAAFDQ/qeUKPW1SEGI/s320/DSC01858.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you guess which one is dog? HINT: It's not the white meat.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="goog_1702348201"></span><span id="goog_1702348202"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6PvvXj_-NZY/T7O6vwveoRI/AAAAAAAAFDY/DM0J0cZ49E8/s1600/DSC01860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6PvvXj_-NZY/T7O6vwveoRI/AAAAAAAAFDY/DM0J0cZ49E8/s200/DSC01860.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drinking salty tea from a bamboo cup.</td></tr></tbody></table>After dinner, a family invited us into their home for tea. The living room/kitchen/bedroom doesn’t have any furniture so we sat on the floor around a fire to keep the mosquitos away. We drank the saltiest tea I’ve ever consumed while Rusty translated between the Karen people and us. During the conversation it seemed appropriate to break into a Dixie Chicks song. Our hosts sipped their salty tea as they perplexedly listened to me sing “Ready to Run” solo style for the entire room. Blank stares signaled it was time for me to go to sleep; sometimes humor doesn’t translate.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">After a fire and plenty of whiskey, I settled in my mosquito netting while howling mountain dogs sang me to sleep. Probably mad that I ate one of their family members.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Day 2 started off with breakfast followed by 4 and a half hours of trekking through various geography. We trudged through creeks, grassy fields, rocky cliffs, dirt paths and saw wild elephants, colorful plants, fields with water buffalo, and scenes you see as screen saver backgrounds. Around late afternoon, just when I thought I couldn’t walk anymore, we arrived at another small village along the river. Rusty cooked us noodle soup while the crew rested their gelatin legs. I walked down to the river where I saw a small Thai man in an even smaller speedo wading through the creek with two elephants at his side.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wD4DI3-hQeI/T7O9vX1vJBI/AAAAAAAAFDk/_tcsZ1Q8dRI/s1600/DSC01929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wD4DI3-hQeI/T7O9vX1vJBI/AAAAAAAAFDk/_tcsZ1Q8dRI/s320/DSC01929.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Here he comes, Mr. Thailand.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Rusty asked the man if we could bathe the enormous animals because if the elephant is unfamiliar with our farang smell, he may go nuts on us. The banana hammock man allowed it, so I started tossing water on the elephant. Eventually he laid down in the water because he was enjoying our playtime so much. Feeling we had reached a certain point in our relationship, I stepped on the elephant’s massive leg, crawled on top of his course skin, and ran my hands through his prickly hair. The elephant’s skin is so rough and his hair is so course and wiry, it’s almost painful to straddle him. He sprayed me with water and I kept tossing a bucket of freezing cold water on his head while sitting on his neck. Eventually he stood up with Michele and I riding bare back and walked up a hill to his hang out spot with some other elephants. As soon as we disembarked, he covered himself with dirt and mud again. So much for the thorough bath we gave him! Hours later Rusty and Mr. Speedo saddled up the elephants and we rode them for an hour or so as the sun was setting. This unplanned excursion was probably one of my favorite memories of my Thai experience. <o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XB4kRVF705g/T7O_PNXHNSI/AAAAAAAAFDs/FjyxdydzLG4/s1600/524509_3126054670421_1236270208_32770556_710320059_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XB4kRVF705g/T7O_PNXHNSI/AAAAAAAAFDs/FjyxdydzLG4/s320/524509_3126054670421_1236270208_32770556_710320059_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bathing the elephant with Rusty.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mdqqVr8opBE/T7O_Ufnvv_I/AAAAAAAAFD0/gZcOi5fq7nQ/s1600/555343_3126077670996_1236270208_32770627_705749372_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mdqqVr8opBE/T7O_Ufnvv_I/AAAAAAAAFD0/gZcOi5fq7nQ/s320/555343_3126077670996_1236270208_32770627_705749372_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready for liftoff!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BYcGzDhhkjA/T7PAqPRVpoI/AAAAAAAAFD8/NYZJkxATahQ/s1600/DSC01962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BYcGzDhhkjA/T7PAqPRVpoI/AAAAAAAAFD8/NYZJkxATahQ/s320/DSC01962.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mav and I taking the 'phant for a spin.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal">As we played with elephants, Rusty finished building a bamboo raft that we took a short distance down the river to the Diamond Hotel where we stayed for the evening. They should add “In the Rough” after “Diamond”.&nbsp; We sat around with the owner “Butt” and his wife, cooked dinner, and drank rice liquor aka Thai moonshine for hours. Soon enough the guitar came out and song singing began. I felt like I was back at summer camp sitting around a fire. Except we eventually played a drinking game called “Ping Pang Pong” which I will bring back to the states eventually. <o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-54YZeiwk1ys/T7PBOhCpn-I/AAAAAAAAFEE/v6s2H3dppas/s1600/529416_3126086271211_1236270208_32770658_461000985_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-54YZeiwk1ys/T7PBOhCpn-I/AAAAAAAAFEE/v6s2H3dppas/s320/529416_3126086271211_1236270208_32770658_461000985_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michele, Butt, and I playing Ping Pang Pong.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal">The final day trekking was an easy 3-hour bamboo jaunt down the shallow, clear, river. Peacefulness and rich scenery surrounded the makeshift raft as we flowed down the watercourse. The water was calm with the exception of a few mini-rapids. A bunch of bamboo tied together isn’t exactly flip proof so those tiny cascades give you a run for your money. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_VxEreBRyrE/T7PC17qY0SI/AAAAAAAAFEM/vEZw-RV5G84/s1600/DSC01977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_VxEreBRyrE/T7PC17qY0SI/AAAAAAAAFEM/vEZw-RV5G84/s320/DSC01977.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo rafting and steering with sticks.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal">Overall, I highly recommend going on a trek in northern Thailand. My unique experience was definitely one for the memory books and I’ll remember those few days forever. The key is to find a tour company that is legit. Many tour guide companies don’t give any money to the tribes that are hassled by tourists every few days. They simply waltz through the village of a hill tribe like they own the place. Do your homework before you sign on with a tour group and make sure it’s authentic and lawful. Remember, if a hill tribe offers you dog, you eat it.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D2bDKpeEFKg/T7PDgsD_FSI/AAAAAAAAFEU/atvUWgW2X0o/s1600/DSC01876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D2bDKpeEFKg/T7PDgsD_FSI/AAAAAAAAFEU/atvUWgW2X0o/s320/DSC01876.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loving her opium pipe, Keeps you young.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-8183839207243063632012-05-04T23:21:00.002+07:002012-05-04T23:30:48.957+07:00Planes, Trains, & Songthaews - Thailand Transportation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: auto;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sen3apQx2To/T6P4TsGcABI/AAAAAAAAE0M/GY5TJ7bkh0s/s1600/DSC01362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sen3apQx2To/T6P4TsGcABI/AAAAAAAAE0M/GY5TJ7bkh0s/s200/DSC01362.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taxi with flat tire on the highway at 4am.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal">I settled into my plush reclining seat on an extra large VIP bus heading south to Bangkok from Chiang Rai for a 12-hour journey. Suddenly a huge burst from the right side of the bus left us swerving back and forth at high speed on the highway while the top heavy automobile teeter tottered back and forth signifying a potential flip. The smell of burnt rubber indicated exactly what occurred, but as I’m holding on for dear life my first selfish thought was, “Can we please come to a safe stop because I’m afraid of dying alone.”<br /><a name='more'></a>Seeing I’m the only English speaker and non-Thai person on this bus, I doubt anyone is going to hold my hand and pray with me. My attention quickly focused on the teenage mother and baby sitting a seat over from me and I decided I’d sacrifice myself to save them. At least I’m doing a good deed before we go down. Only a half hour on the dot from the time we pulled out from Bus Terminal 2 in Chiang Rai did we get a flat tire. I knew I headed to Bangkok a day early for a reason. Eventually, the bus&nbsp;safely&nbsp;landed on the median and I took a massive sigh of relief.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">After sitting on the side of the road for an hour, I loaded a bus that paled in comparison. A Thai toddler sitting in front of me reclined her chair basically in my lap and stared at me while flopping her blanket on my computer screen as I tried to enjoy my True Blood Vampire series which is the only thing at this point keeping me sane. My mood went from elated to deflated in record time.&nbsp;</div><div class="MsoNormal">I enjoy the transition from place to place – riding ferries, trains, buses (sometimes) are some of my favorite times during travel. Many people disagree but I enjoy staring out the window, listening to music, seeing the countryside pass through the glass, and having sometimes life changing conversations with people you didn’t know existed 10 minutes prior. Transportation in Thailand is easy but its unreliability is notorious. Note to self if traveling, plan ahead if your schedule is tight. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Here are some of the main modes of transportation you’ll see in Thailand:</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Tuk-tuk</b><o:p></o:p></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XfCEu_yAeK8/T6P0Z8DO9HI/AAAAAAAAEz0/7EHaNMdbh4E/s1600/DSC01152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XfCEu_yAeK8/T6P0Z8DO9HI/AAAAAAAAEz0/7EHaNMdbh4E/s200/DSC01152.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuk-tuk in Ayutthaya. Holds 1-6 people.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Tuk-tuk drivers are notorious for ripping people off, even locals. If you need to take a tuk-tuk always cut the price in half of what they offer and give a chuckle like you can’t believe their price offer. They’ll try to get as much out of you as they can and if you let them, you’ll be out of money fast!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Song Thaew</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><o:p></o:p></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jsu7XNwHUz0/T6P0DxWHOZI/AAAAAAAAEzs/_dXeTiDNw04/s1600/IMG_0136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jsu7XNwHUz0/T6P0DxWHOZI/AAAAAAAAEzs/_dXeTiDNw04/s200/IMG_0136.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the luggage you see was piled on top of this song thaew.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><o:p>One step above a tuk-tuk, still very cheap but usually made for longer trips like to an attraction in the city you’re visiting. It’s like a mini-pickup truck with two benches in the bed.&nbsp;</o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b><br /><b>Motorbike</b><o:p></o:p></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-stiacCzHcus/T6PxcezgQBI/AAAAAAAAEzU/LKrns_1GzQE/s1600/DSC02268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-stiacCzHcus/T6PxcezgQBI/AAAAAAAAEzU/LKrns_1GzQE/s200/DSC02268.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Power Ranger on motorbike.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">As you probably know, motorbikes are everywhere in Asian countries. They’re cheap, easy and with no emission controls policies the small motorbikes are actually the best option for the environment. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Minibus</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Minibuses are found everywhere and can actually be a better option if you’re traveling light. The prices are fair, there’s AC, and you don’t have to make tons of stops so you get to your destination in a shorter time. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Long tail boat</b><o:p></o:p></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EfRcdx77rmI/T6PyYYzZuDI/AAAAAAAAEzc/u_n3LFmlJEY/s1600/IMG_1695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EfRcdx77rmI/T6PyYYzZuDI/AAAAAAAAEzc/u_n3LFmlJEY/s200/IMG_1695.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skinny wooden boats with loud motors.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Short distances in the water from beach to beach that cant be reached by land or from islands that are near by you will always take a long tail boat. These are usually wooden with a smoky motor and colorful leis draped on the bow.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b><br /><b>Ferry</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OWU1LwGo5l4/T6P56s_4FAI/AAAAAAAAE0U/1CIVC5KALTY/s1600/317552_10100338483912412_9130442_51181714_1127124334_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OWU1LwGo5l4/T6P56s_4FAI/AAAAAAAAE0U/1CIVC5KALTY/s200/317552_10100338483912412_9130442_51181714_1127124334_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ferry ride from Surat Thani to Koh Samui.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Getting to and from the various islands in Thailand is sure to guarantee you a ferry ride, my personal favorite. Some are small and don’t have any chairs and some ferries are large enough to fit cars on and you’ll want to stay for days. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><b><b><b></b></b></b><br /><b><b><b></b></b></b><br /><b><b><b><div><b><b></b></b></div><div><b><b><b><br /></b></b></b></div><div><b><b><b><br /></b></b></b></div><div><b><b><b><br /></b></b></b></div>Train</b></b><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NBVQPHnHPvM/T6P011fXJQI/AAAAAAAAEz8/lAiUHP2ehAA/s1600/DSC01571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NBVQPHnHPvM/T6P011fXJQI/AAAAAAAAEz8/lAiUHP2ehAA/s200/DSC01571.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overnight train from BKK to Chiang Mai.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Train is free for locals so I hate to say this but if you’re going a town over by train where there aren’t any classes, you’ll be sitting next to someone who may not even have a home. I’ve taken the train many times when I was in Ayutthaya. Vendors hop on and off the train constantly to sell food, fruit, drinks, and soup. The night train however, is a different story. Going from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is a comfortable experience in a sleeper cart.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></div></b><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">Do’s and Don’ts of Transportation in Thailand</span>:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NGnjpMmyofM/T6P-9w5xhXI/AAAAAAAAE00/8lImbwNf-io/s1600/motorbike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NGnjpMmyofM/T6P-9w5xhXI/AAAAAAAAE00/8lImbwNf-io/s320/motorbike.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I shouldn't have to say this, but don't travel with a family of 4 on a motorbike.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b> </b></div><b></b><br /><b></b><br /><b></b><br /><b><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;">DO <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">keep your valuables with you. Never pack them in your main pack and store on the bottom of the bus or top of a song thaew, etc.</span></div></b></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;">DON’T <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">be in a rush to get to your destination because according to Thai time you will be running late.</span></div></b></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;">DO <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">pack snacks and food on long train or bus rides because you never know when or where you’ll arrive.</span></div></b></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;">DON’T <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">get in a taxi in Bangkok unless he’s running the meter. Ask him to turn it on before you jump in.</span></div></b></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;">DO <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">bargain with a tuk-tuk driver because 10 times out of 10, they are trying to rip you off.</span></div></b></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DievcUmngdU/T6P-TzBua9I/AAAAAAAAE0s/MBxLOTA-m4g/s1600/IMG_2075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DievcUmngdU/T6P-TzBua9I/AAAAAAAAE0s/MBxLOTA-m4g/s200/IMG_2075.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My exhaust pipe burn. &nbsp;That's gonna leave a mark!</td></tr></tbody></table>DON’T <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">get off on the right side of a motorbike because you’ll be left with a burn on your calf. I know from experience.</span></div></b></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;">DO <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">wear layers in a minibus or train because you’ll be pouring sweat outside but then freeze inside.</span></div></b></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;">DON’T <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">forget your motion sickness pills for long curvy bus rides in the north or long ferry rides.</span></div></b></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;">DO <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">book long distance trains a few days in advance to guarantee a good cabin.</span></div></b></span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important;">DON’T <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">rent a motorbike without insurance (usually 2 USD) or ride without a helmet.</span><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jTZ5TYEovBw/T6P9yVPlmEI/AAAAAAAAE0k/9spwL5JR1EA/s1600/DSCN3457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jTZ5TYEovBw/T6P9yVPlmEI/AAAAAAAAE0k/9spwL5JR1EA/s400/DSCN3457.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elephant is still a popular way to get around in Thailand.</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></div></b></span></li></ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span id="goog_1032128998"></span><span id="goog_1032128999"></span></span></div><o:p></o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span><br /> <div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div></b><br /><div><b><br /> </b><br /><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><o:p></o:p></div></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-77559640594513997352012-04-19T20:23:00.000+07:002012-04-19T20:24:08.344+07:00Potty Talk - What to Know Before You Go<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gtwFAQ9xrFM/T5AC68kGQ9I/AAAAAAAAEjA/m9vA0slxxoM/s1600/IMG_0686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gtwFAQ9xrFM/T5AC68kGQ9I/AAAAAAAAEjA/m9vA0slxxoM/s200/IMG_0686.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready, set, squat.</td></tr></tbody></table>Welcome to Asia a land of smiles, beautiful beaches, delicious cuisine, fascinating temples and non-flushing toilets. Before I arrived in Thailand I was unaware of the bathroom situation I would soon embark on. I stepped off the big plane from America and went to the first stall I could find expecting to see a regular toilet. As my eyes drifted down to the ground I thought to myself, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” For newcomers to Thailand, you need to know a thing or two about a squat before you step into a stall or else you’re in for a special treat.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>There are 3 main types of toilets in Thailand:</b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gpU1uvRIGRc/T5AFevGm_hI/AAAAAAAAEjM/2VAcn6WZiH4/s1600/IMG_0689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gpU1uvRIGRc/T5AFevGm_hI/AAAAAAAAEjM/2VAcn6WZiH4/s200/IMG_0689.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scooping water for flushing.</td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;1.&nbsp;<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Squat</b>: Let’s just hit the ground running and start off &nbsp; &nbsp;with the worst, ay? The squat is a porcelain bowl no more &nbsp; &nbsp;than 3 inches above ground. You mount this puppy with feet placed on footpads on each side of the bowl and just like the name implies, you take the squat position and get ready for action. If you choose to stray from my advice and put your feet on the outside of the squat, get ready for a splash fest bigger than Songkran. The water trough beside you is not for rinsing your hands. Take a doggy bowl type bucket and fill it up with water from the trough and transfer it into the squat until everything goes bye- bye. You may as well take your pants off the first few times; the squatter takes some getting use to for farang.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vSysg1jFcbM/T5AJWa5FZYI/AAAAAAAAEjU/9ktBDCbMBew/s1600/IMG_1602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vSysg1jFcbM/T5AJWa5FZYI/AAAAAAAAEjU/9ktBDCbMBew/s200/IMG_1602.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free standing toilet doubles as shower rest.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;2. The Sitting Manual Flush Squat</b>:<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>You’ll find this gem freestanding in the middle of your shower. If you want to take a rest mid-shower it comes in handy. It’s a bit larger than a squat but resembles the miniature toilet used in elementary school. &nbsp;Next to this contraption is a saucepan shaped bucket floating on water inside a larger bucket. I think you know the protocol for the next step. You may also notice a hose much like a kitchen hose &nbsp;in the U.S.A.&nbsp; This is a “butt hose” or a “bum gun.” When you’re ready to wipe, the butt hose comes into play. Hose yourself &nbsp; down from front to back and don’t forget to leave &nbsp; time to dry. If your aim isn’t on point, you’ll give yourself a mini-shower at an &nbsp;inopportune time. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H9F6BnnyZYc/T5AKA7H_rFI/AAAAAAAAEjc/yRK5cpsKBSA/s1600/DSCN3655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="161" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H9F6BnnyZYc/T5AKA7H_rFI/AAAAAAAAEjc/yRK5cpsKBSA/s200/DSCN3655.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butt hose action.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;3. A Regular Flushing Toilet</b>: In more modern &nbsp; places like shopping malls and Tesco you will find regular &nbsp; sized flushing toilets but you will NEVER have toilet paper or a butt hose. So no butt hose, no tissue what &nbsp; do they expect you to do, drip dry? Sometimes there is a vending machine in the bathroom where you can buy tissue paper.&nbsp; On the rare occasion that you &nbsp; do have toilet paper in your stall (2% of the time), don’t think twice about putting it in the commode. This is a huge no-no. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></div><div class="MsoNormal">Researchers and proctologists have raved for years about the benefits of squatting toilets and the health ailments caused by sitting toilets. Maybe true, but for sanitary purposes I prefer to go sit style and flush it all away with as much toilet paper as I would like. Now that you’re in Southeast Asia remember that I warned you! With a little practice, patience, and a pack of tissues on hand at all times (it’s a hot commodity here) you can master the squat too.&nbsp; If you’re still having potty problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but a SQUAT ain’t one!&nbsp;&nbsp;<o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rkdi5XKeyxM/T5AO8eeifdI/AAAAAAAAEjk/EgAk44Q_kOk/s1600/DSCN3399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rkdi5XKeyxM/T5AO8eeifdI/AAAAAAAAEjk/EgAk44Q_kOk/s320/DSCN3399.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squat toilet with a butt hose and a flushing trough.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MF47G-JmYb8/T5APjdaL_aI/AAAAAAAAEjs/GrzTy1vkrCY/s1600/IMG_0693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MF47G-JmYb8/T5APjdaL_aI/AAAAAAAAEjs/GrzTy1vkrCY/s320/IMG_0693.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elegantly flushing a squat.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-70012501290374179602012-04-08T11:54:00.002+07:002012-04-08T11:55:37.730+07:00Silly Thais, Trix are for Kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"</span></b><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Maturity is knowing when to be immature</span></b></i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"</span></b><b>&nbsp;</b>&nbsp;</div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><b>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; - Randall Hall<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">&nbsp;</span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">&nbsp;</span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</b></blockquote><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7cVU2e8EfLQ/T4ECKjRxUWI/AAAAAAAAERc/zf4Jo2DJIQg/s1600/24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7cVU2e8EfLQ/T4ECKjRxUWI/AAAAAAAAERc/zf4Jo2DJIQg/s200/24.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where is the latter acceptable then?</td></tr></tbody></table>Let me preface by saying that I am not making fun of anyone, but merely appreciating the humor in each situation. Heck knows if I was translating my native language into Thai or another completely different alphabet I'm sure I'd misspell a thing or two.<br />A motorbike transporting a family of four home from the hospital with its newest arrival. No trace of a garbage can at a festival with hundreds of people.&nbsp; A pile of abandoned shoes outside a restaurant, shop, or classroom. A “toilet” in the ground with no butt hose or toilet tissue. Google mistranslations that make even native English speakers question the options on the menu. The Land of Smiles is full of quirkiness that may not be initially apparent to passer-bys. Over time, I’ve grown to notice the influx of signs, habits, and trends that have many visitors perplexed and rhetorically asking themselves “What?” Here is a collection of Thai idiosyncrasies that have been lost in translation.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><b>Potty Mouth</b><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5EOC6sBbFIE/T4ELNkYc9xI/AAAAAAAAESk/pP2zBsQQamk/s1600/photo-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5EOC6sBbFIE/T4ELNkYc9xI/AAAAAAAAESk/pP2zBsQQamk/s320/photo-10.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Over information could cause a problem in an emergency.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3eseF3x7O4I/T4EMDGXnUnI/AAAAAAAAESs/HhGACliCiyg/s1600/IMG_4597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3eseF3x7O4I/T4EMDGXnUnI/AAAAAAAAESs/HhGACliCiyg/s320/IMG_4597.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toilet paper is unnecessary in Thailand.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvYOzzrWhOQ/T4EMfKEb9JI/AAAAAAAAES0/QRJ4OS2d-6Y/s1600/166964_10100414210370982_9130442_51658354_2143073017_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jvYOzzrWhOQ/T4EMfKEb9JI/AAAAAAAAES0/QRJ4OS2d-6Y/s320/166964_10100414210370982_9130442_51658354_2143073017_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unisex bathroom or sex bathroom?</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D0I7Wt0rKP8/T4ENjWlMVEI/AAAAAAAAES8/NZWpwaik-sE/s1600/DSC02394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D0I7Wt0rKP8/T4ENjWlMVEI/AAAAAAAAES8/NZWpwaik-sE/s320/DSC02394.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Say this out loud for an instant posh accent!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-omi-2a46IG0/T4EOPjklYCI/AAAAAAAAETE/EepfpPV5yoA/s1600/photo-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-omi-2a46IG0/T4EOPjklYCI/AAAAAAAAETE/EepfpPV5yoA/s320/photo-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can reduce this message to 3 words and it means the same same thing.</td></tr></tbody></table><span id="goog_1854539334"></span><span id="goog_1854539335"></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gftwPwq4aRI/T4EFLXvCwQI/AAAAAAAAERk/b6kiOqKs2BE/s1600/photo-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gftwPwq4aRI/T4EFLXvCwQI/AAAAAAAAERk/b6kiOqKs2BE/s320/photo-6.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pens at a school supply store. Swirly poop.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bEZ0udizOWo/T4EFbm0NgII/AAAAAAAAERs/-2ISjxvb4jQ/s1600/photo-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bEZ0udizOWo/T4EFbm0NgII/AAAAAAAAERs/-2ISjxvb4jQ/s320/photo-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We all love it, so we have it!<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><b>Customer Service</b><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vGgM5xOuD-8/T4EF46JFToI/AAAAAAAAER0/qEnU_4UQW_E/s1600/DSC02363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vGgM5xOuD-8/T4EF46JFToI/AAAAAAAAER0/qEnU_4UQW_E/s320/DSC02363.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I believe the word you're looking for is "wax."<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bmibUs7T5js/T4EGkMKMMHI/AAAAAAAAER8/cwFw85jASPA/s1600/DSCN3660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bmibUs7T5js/T4EGkMKMMHI/AAAAAAAAER8/cwFw85jASPA/s320/DSCN3660.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handmade crafts, including haircuts.</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QojijGdMr_c/T4EHC1W27AI/AAAAAAAAESE/AXcN7kOWkYk/s1600/385856_2447844766092_1551120025_31883837_1145981416_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QojijGdMr_c/T4EHC1W27AI/AAAAAAAAESE/AXcN7kOWkYk/s320/385856_2447844766092_1551120025_31883837_1145981416_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Word of encouragement from every small business owner.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rWG3GLcCEtg/T4EYEECXtuI/AAAAAAAAEUQ/y2vuCNm03o4/s1600/DSC02192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rWG3GLcCEtg/T4EYEECXtuI/AAAAAAAAEUQ/y2vuCNm03o4/s320/DSC02192.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Must be good!</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Safety First</b><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uz6HxL10wrU/T4EQb2zzczI/AAAAAAAAETM/4aHaEDO1CY8/s1600/DSC01540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uz6HxL10wrU/T4EQb2zzczI/AAAAAAAAETM/4aHaEDO1CY8/s320/DSC01540.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So informative with only using stick figures!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EdV_t8xRlls/T4ERv6sxffI/AAAAAAAAETY/J6lBnJSJ920/s1600/DSC01529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EdV_t8xRlls/T4ERv6sxffI/AAAAAAAAETY/J6lBnJSJ920/s320/DSC01529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Subtle yet honest.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--RiHZPeXMds/T4ES0SK8AII/AAAAAAAAETg/RF-xgg2ZmMI/s1600/DSC01788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--RiHZPeXMds/T4ES0SK8AII/AAAAAAAAETg/RF-xgg2ZmMI/s320/DSC01788.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To litter or not to litter?</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ixx3DlY_m6s/T4ET8x01LYI/AAAAAAAAETo/OxT08YDDG14/s1600/IMG_2149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ixx3DlY_m6s/T4ET8x01LYI/AAAAAAAAETo/OxT08YDDG14/s320/IMG_2149.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't get too excited, "Porn" is a popular name in Thailand.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J2kr904qMRQ/T4EVGPNRKZI/AAAAAAAAETw/b-D2GQIv0sQ/s1600/DSC01535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J2kr904qMRQ/T4EVGPNRKZI/AAAAAAAAETw/b-D2GQIv0sQ/s320/DSC01535.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Life size Tiger Woods made of condoms. Only at Cabbages &amp; Condoms.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tDx1qCX_pxs/T4EJc1-IA1I/AAAAAAAAESc/sNqfouRSorg/s1600/DSC02389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tDx1qCX_pxs/T4EJc1-IA1I/AAAAAAAAESc/sNqfouRSorg/s320/DSC02389.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls in Brokedown Palace didn't get this memo.</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Information Overload</b><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xzTsqPehDTE/T4EV4syKqyI/AAAAAAAAET4/a4ZCeAtZswY/s1600/DSC01023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xzTsqPehDTE/T4EV4syKqyI/AAAAAAAAET4/a4ZCeAtZswY/s320/DSC01023.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doubt that.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g6k3Oi8ompI/T4EWvJDOVGI/AAAAAAAAEUA/ZK26E45H14E/s1600/photo-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g6k3Oi8ompI/T4EWvJDOVGI/AAAAAAAAEUA/ZK26E45H14E/s320/photo-5.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always dot your "i's" and cross your "l's".</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C_lRTPe-I8Q/T4EXZECP4AI/AAAAAAAAEUI/T_2_zBA2wok/s1600/DSC00848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C_lRTPe-I8Q/T4EXZECP4AI/AAAAAAAAEUI/T_2_zBA2wok/s320/DSC00848.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cute kid.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0lodIe8R488/T4EH7v31KrI/AAAAAAAAESM/vMrwMluw3so/s1600/funny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0lodIe8R488/T4EH7v31KrI/AAAAAAAAESM/vMrwMluw3so/s320/funny.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Look under "Free SIM"</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JYr-0KwCIxs/T4EIh1puFcI/AAAAAAAAESU/ivQy2TGLPPw/s1600/yy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JYr-0KwCIxs/T4EIh1puFcI/AAAAAAAAESU/ivQy2TGLPPw/s320/yy.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Sweet pick-up lines.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-74340800412259591472012-04-04T19:26:00.000+07:002012-04-05T17:05:04.227+07:00Thai Food 101 - Taking it to the Streets<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1bjHRAb7Wn8/T3wFCB4E8EI/AAAAAAAAD9M/UXNTpeXd3ck/s1600/DSC01704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1bjHRAb7Wn8/T3wFCB4E8EI/AAAAAAAAD9M/UXNTpeXd3ck/s200/DSC01704.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gave me a taste, put the spoon back in the pot.</td></tr></tbody></table>Heading out to pick up your delectable preference for the evening to satiate your ravishing hunger is not challenging in Thailand. If your taste buds crave sweet or spicy, the Thai streets are guaranteed to supply you with a scrumptious dish to satisfy your desires. Chickens hang out in windows, juicy melons, and vendors with carts full of meaty options can be found on every street corner. Thai food style changes all over the country but I’ve concocted a menu of popular grub and thirst quenchers that are found in every crevice of the Land of Smiles. <br /><a name='more'></a>Get your mouth whet for some serious drool action because these charming dishes will have you positively howling with excitement. If you would like to see more pictures and detailed descriptions of Thai food I’ve indulged in please check out my album <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.276355352449418.67715.151046594980295&amp;type=1">Thai Food 101</a>. Chok Dee! (Cheers!)<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Eating Style<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UomFWD0oshA/T3wFtRX55zI/AAAAAAAAD9U/2i4eE_zcCWM/s1600/DSC01531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UomFWD0oshA/T3wFtRX55zI/AAAAAAAAD9U/2i4eE_zcCWM/s200/DSC01531.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thai people eating dinner together.</td></tr></tbody></table>Very few people like to do it individually, but most like to do it in groups. Family style, particularly on the floor in a circle, is very traditional. It’s common to see folks gathered in a circle during lunchtime in their shop, home (which is open for all to see if you’re walking by), or on the sidewalk. If you have ever wondered why Thai people take their shoes off before entering a room it’s because you’re suppose to keep the floor so clean you can literally eat off of it. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Eating out is a lot cheaper than the alternative: cooking at home. Therefore, night markets are very popular amongst Thais; A place where they can gobble dinner with their family or bring semi-prepared groceries home to consume. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tbSdnzv3wyg/T3wHTMVOL6I/AAAAAAAAD9c/-FcYWZX6HVI/s1600/IMG_1692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tbSdnzv3wyg/T3wHTMVOL6I/AAAAAAAAD9c/-FcYWZX6HVI/s320/IMG_1692.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outdoor restaurant at a market in Krabi.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_NKS1GbKLSc/T3wI7v7zIVI/AAAAAAAAD9k/e01BWtH5xsU/s1600/DSC01142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_NKS1GbKLSc/T3wI7v7zIVI/AAAAAAAAD9k/e01BWtH5xsU/s320/DSC01142.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mango lady in Ayutthaya.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Main Courses<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Noodles</i> – Thick, thin, long, short, sticky, hard, floppy, white, yellow, you name it there’s a different noodle for every course. Most noodles are made out of rice, which is served with all dishes each meal of the day – breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hdbMXCybJEQ/T3wKXBI-FPI/AAAAAAAAD9s/cyhl3c3YIcg/s1600/photo-31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hdbMXCybJEQ/T3wKXBI-FPI/AAAAAAAAD9s/cyhl3c3YIcg/s320/photo-31.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glass noodles with vegetables and egg.</td></tr></tbody></table><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Curry</i> – Concocted of red, yellow, or green curry paste, coconut milk, vegetables, herbs and usually your choice of chicken, pork, seafood, or tofu.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wn4zY4JbOWI/T3wK6G1FfLI/AAAAAAAAD90/R-AyZjPnJaA/s1600/DSC01520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wn4zY4JbOWI/T3wK6G1FfLI/AAAAAAAAD90/R-AyZjPnJaA/s320/DSC01520.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin curry in Koh Chang. The only place I've found it!</td></tr></tbody></table><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Soup </i>– Even though the temperature is boiling outside, you always have soup. You could have soup with all vegetables in a chicken broth, soup with noodles, mini chicken legs at the bottom, mushroom soup, I never realized there were so many types of soup. The soup Nazi would be pleased, then again maybe not. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yv-gKdgwpg8/T3wqC2O1wII/AAAAAAAAD-M/RXlZRwKrWk8/s1600/jim-jum1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yv-gKdgwpg8/T3wqC2O1wII/AAAAAAAAD-M/RXlZRwKrWk8/s320/jim-jum1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soup served in a hot pot, you put your own vegetables, meat, or seafood with noodles in the pot and cook yourself.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Meat </i>– Watch out vegetarians! Always meat in every spread, sometimes multiple types of meat at one meal. Chicken, pork (100 different ways), and beef are prepared fried, boiled, stuffed, fatty or trimmed and found in most dishes. <o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BPEvZMkf15A/T3wo73Pva_I/AAAAAAAAD-E/fF9edc8LUUU/s1600/photo-33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BPEvZMkf15A/T3wo73Pva_I/AAAAAAAAD-E/fF9edc8LUUU/s320/photo-33.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An assortment of meats at a night market in Phuket.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seafood </i>– Twenty thousand leagues under the sea or the Thai streets, you’ll find fresh grilled squid on a stick, whole fish on a rotisserie, squid jerky on a cart, clams, mussels, and giant tiger prawns. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pRJuKNFlFwY/T3wMK9nELEI/AAAAAAAAD98/C8ThZSSW-ZA/s1600/DSC01385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pRJuKNFlFwY/T3wMK9nELEI/AAAAAAAAD98/C8ThZSSW-ZA/s320/DSC01385.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish stuffed with herbs on a rotisserie in Muang Thong Thani.</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Thirst Quenchers<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CWl7sBLdrxM/T3wszzpqjcI/AAAAAAAAD-g/AYvjjbYvByA/s1600/Bubbletea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CWl7sBLdrxM/T3wszzpqjcI/AAAAAAAAD-g/AYvjjbYvByA/s200/Bubbletea.jpg" width="138" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bubble tea. Note the giant straw.</td></tr></tbody></table><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bubble Tea </i>– Tea with little tapioca type gelatin pellets submerged at the bottom of the cup. You get an extra wide straw to extract the balls from the base of the cup. Drinkers must use caution when sipping bubble tea because they are slippery suckers and if you suck too hard they pop in the back of your throat before you even have a chance for them to properly enter your mouth.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--RcqSHIwSZg/T3wwKOvefdI/AAAAAAAAD-4/95uECZ-cuGI/s1600/IMG_1313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--RcqSHIwSZg/T3wwKOvefdI/AAAAAAAAD-4/95uECZ-cuGI/s200/IMG_1313.JPG" width="170" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large Chang in Phuket.</td></tr></tbody></table><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Beer</i> – The King of Thai Beers is Singha. Chang, Leo, Tiger, and Archa are the runner up lagers in Thailand. These $1.10 beers are big so you need 2 hands to handle it properly.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XNDtyhIga-o/T3wy-aFaquI/AAAAAAAAD_U/g9_t_HhwByI/s1600/draft_lens18022154module150664522photo_1307420575hong_thong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XNDtyhIga-o/T3wy-aFaquI/AAAAAAAAD_U/g9_t_HhwByI/s200/draft_lens18022154module150664522photo_1307420575hong_thong.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Liquor </i>– Whiskey is highly consumed amongst Thais. Hong Thong and Sang Som are obvious choices. Thai vodka is too painful to drink so most don’t. Rice liquor (aka Thai moonshine) is sneaky so drink with caution!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2NKkQpvDNyQ/T3wxSwoONTI/AAAAAAAAD_A/sEQ4-soR0ls/s1600/DSC01135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2NKkQpvDNyQ/T3wxSwoONTI/AAAAAAAAD_A/sEQ4-soR0ls/s200/DSC01135.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coffee stand like this is seen everywhere in Thailand.</td></tr></tbody></table><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i><br /><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i><br /><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i><br /><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i><br /><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coffee</i> – If you need an extra energy jolt you don’t have to walk but 2 feet before you run into a coffee hut on the street. Iced or hot, served with loads of sugar and condensed milk. Ask your barista for no sugar if you don’t want a headache later.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzYG_8V5cm4/T3wxwwtwgiI/AAAAAAAAD_I/yGIVggbuhHo/s1600/DSC01609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzYG_8V5cm4/T3wxwwtwgiI/AAAAAAAAD_I/yGIVggbuhHo/s200/DSC01609.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh fruit shake in Chiang Mai.</td></tr></tbody></table><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shakes </i>– Fresh fruit shakes are on nearly every menu. Lassi contains yogurt so it’s denser. Shakes vary from thick and smoothie-like to watery and icy. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">All Things Sweet<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fruit</i> - Bananas in big and small sizes, sugary sweet rose apples, and jackfruit line up on the street chilling and waiting for you to pick them up. Fresh fruit, always sliced in a baggy accompanied by a wooden poker, is a delightful snack that’s never hard to find. Whether you are in Bangkok or a tiny village, you will always find a fruit stand full of fresh papaya, guava, pineapple, watermelon, and mango at every life stage.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sweets</i> - Milky secretions dribbled on nearly every food item when it comes to desserts. No pastries exist and the chocolate is never that great. Thai desserts are always made from coconut or flour. A lot of times the confection is a vegetable like green peas with sugar syrup or sweetened condensed milk dripped on top. A popular dessert is corn in a thick, clear sugar paste. I guess it’s half healthy.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dawg’s Top Favorites:<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">1. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Green curry</b>with chicken or seafood (chicken really absorbs the flavor).<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oLDKt_d6Ugg/T3w19VbIEPI/AAAAAAAAD_c/bk6o6xQRytU/s1600/IMG_1851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oLDKt_d6Ugg/T3w19VbIEPI/AAAAAAAAD_c/bk6o6xQRytU/s320/IMG_1851.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>2. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sum tom</b> is a papaya salad prepared with a pestle and mortar. Tell the preparer how many peppers desired. It’s a favorite amongst locals as well. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-brP322Xtab8/T3w7zVVDJlI/AAAAAAAAD_k/rDWwa0UwmWg/s1600/DSC00987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-brP322Xtab8/T3w7zVVDJlI/AAAAAAAAD_k/rDWwa0UwmWg/s320/DSC00987.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>3.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Milk green tea </b>is a refreshing drink made of green tea and condensed milk served on ice. Again, no sugar please!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K1WUCcp1Nyk/T3w8qqdVQxI/AAAAAAAAD_s/tlT3OENh_RY/s1600/DSC01133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K1WUCcp1Nyk/T3w8qqdVQxI/AAAAAAAAD_s/tlT3OENh_RY/s320/DSC01133.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>4. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mango and sticky rice</b> is a traditional dessert made from sweet mango and sticky rice with a bit of sweetened condensed milk.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jbFbMfsmmy0/T3w8_bDfYQI/AAAAAAAAD_0/hpcsW0H2enI/s1600/DSC00211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jbFbMfsmmy0/T3w8_bDfYQI/AAAAAAAAD_0/hpcsW0H2enI/s320/DSC00211.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>5.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Kanum cok </b>is a dessert that’s not too sweet made from fried coconut with a soft gelatin like center. In the middle you can choose plain, corn, green onions, or pumpkin.<o:p></o:p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PEYD6N4FlIc/T3w9Xl2gZ7I/AAAAAAAAD_8/cy8-cw5_RJA/s1600/IMG_1840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PEYD6N4FlIc/T3w9Xl2gZ7I/AAAAAAAAD_8/cy8-cw5_RJA/s320/IMG_1840.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-80519284251219121922012-03-04T23:46:00.000+07:002012-04-23T00:53:03.057+07:00Ayutthaya - A City in Ruins<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pp-oxBhYHKI/T1NTWC94FuI/AAAAAAAADpI/3AttBdBxDMY/s1600/376069_782317692270_35908994_36704109_30499101_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="146" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pp-oxBhYHKI/T1NTWC94FuI/AAAAAAAADpI/3AttBdBxDMY/s200/376069_782317692270_35908994_36704109_30499101_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strolling along in Wat Mahathat.</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The first time I stepped off the bus in Ayutthaya, I thought “Oh hell naw.” This place is a complete bleep hole. Granted, the town had just been hit by the worst flood in the last 50 years and I’m rolling up about 24 hours after the city streets dried up.&nbsp;Let me paint you a vivid picture of what I was looking at: </span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DUST</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DUST</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">DUST</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, dried mud covered every square inch of street, building, tree, plant, side walk, and ant.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a name='more'></a>Piles, excuse me, MOUNTAINS of filthy garbage and debris from homes and buildings that gave off the most horrendous stench that could make a baby’s diaper smell like sweet roses. Dogs, stray rabies filled dogs, hungry, tired, abandoned and mean, looking for some Leash-Dawg to munch on, roaming the streets like they own the place. There was not a soul in sight, no buildings or markets open, no cars on the streets, no lights. I felt like I rolled up to a town during the wild wild west that had just been deserted after a shoot out. The water line from where the floodwaters had reached was taller than me in some places. This distinct line left its mark over the entire city as if to say, “Flood wuz here” like graffiti on the door of a bathroom stall. </span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rdT3-Z88Fu4/T1NT15EfezI/AAAAAAAADpQ/H364WkU92dc/s1600/DSCN3885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rdT3-Z88Fu4/T1NT15EfezI/AAAAAAAADpQ/H364WkU92dc/s320/DSCN3885.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A building with a super high water line.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ivCHu91rBHY/T1NUTyf-mdI/AAAAAAAADpY/M3E6fnWAb3Q/s1600/photo-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ivCHu91rBHY/T1NUTyf-mdI/AAAAAAAADpY/M3E6fnWAb3Q/s320/photo-4.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall near my apartment with a water line taller than me. I'm 5"3'.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pwM6PXUDK-Q/T1NUdUxW-rI/AAAAAAAADpg/dyEiouzun2A/s1600/Photo+on+2011-12-03+at+13.33+%232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pwM6PXUDK-Q/T1NUdUxW-rI/AAAAAAAADpg/dyEiouzun2A/s320/Photo+on+2011-12-03+at+13.33+%232.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My poor eyes were affected by the dust bowl.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZQPwrqTkc0/T1NVJ9Jg83I/AAAAAAAADpo/dZPdlywjbjQ/s1600/ayut-e.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZQPwrqTkc0/T1NVJ9Jg83I/AAAAAAAADpo/dZPdlywjbjQ/s1600/ayut-e.gif" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">River surrounding the island of Ayutthaya.</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thankfully that didn’t last long. Not long at all actually. There was continual improvement in the city each day post-flood.&nbsp;Every shop owner, resident, and monk did his or her part to clean and restore Ayutthaya into the beautiful city it is. Ayutthaya was the ancient capital of Thailand for 417 years during 1350-1767. It’s actually an island and the water surrounding the landmass was originally crafted to provide a blockade against the Burmese. The Burmese burned down much of the capital and the city was abandoned, but bricks and skeletons of temples still remain.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Longstanding temples and ruins are dotted all over the city and as the town continued to repair itself post-flood, tourism picked back up right where it left off. &nbsp;Soon the ruinous town was back on its feet after the devastation it faced. </span><o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQQ2TbD0pyc/T1NW1AFNqBI/AAAAAAAADpw/fEnCICoT13I/s1600/DSC00977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQQ2TbD0pyc/T1NW1AFNqBI/AAAAAAAADpw/fEnCICoT13I/s320/DSC00977.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wat Yai Chaimongkal from the back side.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rtv-OqS2dEA/T1NXOuRQgvI/AAAAAAAADp4/79cxqQwLeFA/s1600/DSC00944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Rtv-OqS2dEA/T1NXOuRQgvI/AAAAAAAADp4/79cxqQwLeFA/s400/DSC00944.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wat Yai Chaimongkal from the front. It's huge!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sezZsA7dBHQ/T1NXkhfydII/AAAAAAAADqA/rgUBzmSXyQ4/s1600/DSC00533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sezZsA7dBHQ/T1NXkhfydII/AAAAAAAADqA/rgUBzmSXyQ4/s320/DSC00533.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wat Mahathat, so many ruins packed in this beautiful park.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’ve learned something great about Thai people, their persistence and determination for their home whether it’s their city, country, their place of business or their actual residence, is unstoppable. I admire their upbeat attitude and fortitude when it comes to getting the job done through a shattering event.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OUWPjCREzbs/T1ObdcSp73I/AAAAAAAADqY/hDKcQflvyHo/s1600/DSC01033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OUWPjCREzbs/T1ObdcSp73I/AAAAAAAADqY/hDKcQflvyHo/s200/DSC01033.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friends at the "Moustashio Bashio"</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’m proud to call Ayutthaya my new home away from home for at least a little while. I love jogging through the ruins after school each day and having to move over for the elephant in my path. Catching the sun set over the ponds. Waving “Sawadee kaa” to the same familiar faces you see each day. I love the night market near my house and how the “spring roll lady” knows my face and my order without even asking. I love the group of foreign teachers and how we have our own community within the community, even though we’re from all over the world. I love riding my bike around the island and discovering old ruins, statues, and temples that are hundreds of years old right in my back yard-mixed with the modern conveniences of 7-Eleven. Ayutthaya is a true Thai cultural experience, not just a tropical tourist spot. I’m so glad I stayed during those difficult first few weeks, but I’m most thankful for my first hand experience at watching a city rebuild itself.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Location Location Location</span><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bangkok</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is a short (2 USD) hour ride away in an air-conditioned minibus for all my Westernized needs.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bGxl-Q-Bjwc/T1CCJ7K-ulI/AAAAAAAADnw/m3sDqiVhzsk/s1600/DSC00427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bGxl-Q-Bjwc/T1CCJ7K-ulI/AAAAAAAADnw/m3sDqiVhzsk/s200/DSC00427.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Bang Pa-In from the watchtower.</td></tr></tbody></table><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bang Pa-In Palace</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">– On the outskirts of Ayutthaya, a gorgeous and well-preserved royal palace is awaiting your arrival. The palace is covered in lush green grass and vibrant flowers. The estate gave off a very European feeling with its tidy landscape. The watchtower is a great place to get a bird’s eye view of the gorgeous palace. You can definitely spend an afternoon exploring the exhibits in several of the buildings as well as the incredible architecture. </span><o:p></o:p><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kgE9DxnZxkg/T1CDGIqkj1I/AAAAAAAADn4/tQJPmqFY6WI/s1600/DSC00582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kgE9DxnZxkg/T1CDGIqkj1I/AAAAAAAADn4/tQJPmqFY6WI/s200/DSC00582.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glass maker creating trinkets at Bang Sai.</td></tr></tbody></table><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bang Sai Arts and Crafts Villag</span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">e</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> – The Queen of Thailand established this arts center in the 1970’s. She arranged for professionals to assist local Thais to improve their handicraft, which would increase their standard of living. Visitors can watch local craftsmen create products of their specialty trade and purchase any items they desire. Activities that can be viewed and purchased include:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><ul><li>Basket weaving</li><li>Glass blowing</li><li>Silk weaving</li><li>Furniture making</li><li>Thai doll making</li><li>Sculpturing</li><li>Ceramics</li><li>Leathercraft</li><li>And tons more!</li></ul><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The property is gorgeous in itself; while I visited there was a wedding reception on the grounds alongside a bird park and a freshwater aquarium.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Say Wat? - Top Temples (Wats) in Ayutthaya</span><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">There are over 1600 wats in Ayutthaya but these are my favorites:</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a2iFtTbxkKU/T1CEmkNCplI/AAAAAAAADoA/aBEqOseVvFo/s1600/DSC00528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a2iFtTbxkKU/T1CEmkNCplI/AAAAAAAADoA/aBEqOseVvFo/s200/DSC00528.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddha headstone at Wat Mahathat.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wat Mahathat</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> – A park of ruins where you can take a walk alone, listen to a guided tour or let an elephant chaperon you through the park of remains. The famous Buddha head stone is embedded in tree roots among these remainders. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wat Phra Si Sanphet</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wat Ratburana</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> are all in the same area as Mahathat so you can hit them all up at the same time. About a minute from my apartment, I jogged the path through the scenic ruins almost everyday. Probably my </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">favorite</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> thing about living in Ayutthaya</span>.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: right;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></b></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bb1m8h7ec4c/T1Oa8iW1PCI/AAAAAAAADqQ/uQhy7_sFbpc/s1600/DSC00923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bb1m8h7ec4c/T1Oa8iW1PCI/AAAAAAAADqQ/uQhy7_sFbpc/s200/DSC00923.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reclining Buddha at Wat Yai Chaimongkal.</td></tr></tbody></table><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wat Yai Chaimongkal</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">– “Yai” means big in Thai and that’s pretty much exactly why it’s called big Chiamongkal. There is a giant reclining Buddha where you can paste gold flakes to his feet and head surrounded by a giant wat. The grounds are encased by the </span><i><a href="http://www.arrowriver.ca/dhamma/bless.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">38 Supreme Blessings</span></a></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">,</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">which is the main reason I love this ancient temple. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2QUvDUMzjVg/T1CGy7EBogI/AAAAAAAADoQ/S4_XJr06BCA/s1600/DSCN3532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2QUvDUMzjVg/T1CGy7EBogI/AAAAAAAADoQ/S4_XJr06BCA/s200/DSCN3532.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Buddha inside the temple of Wat Phananchoeng.</td></tr></tbody></table><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wat Phananchoeng</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">– Beautiful! There’s an enormous and jaw dropping golden Buddha inside. Located directly off the river, it is worth taking a boat tour around the island to see the massive, ornate structure. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bomb.com Markets</span><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6q8f-kWICE/T1NLgmjvAeI/AAAAAAAADog/MheT-SaU2D0/s1600/426059_728609778186_18504526_35727630_786082812_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6q8f-kWICE/T1NLgmjvAeI/AAAAAAAADog/MheT-SaU2D0/s200/426059_728609778186_18504526_35727630_786082812_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night market near my house.</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Talad Na ng gan</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">&nbsp;– People in Thailand traditionally do not cook dinner, it’s cheaper to eat out every night so there are markets solely open in the evening. Luckily, I had a rocking night market within walking distance of my apartment off Naresuan Road (near Wat Mahathat)– Fresh fruit, shakes, red curry paste, noodle soup, spring rolls, and omelets galore. As always clothes, shoes, and things you don’t need are available for purchase too.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBc4CxXlCEA/T1NNGYWUCRI/AAAAAAAADoo/BPMATmDPn0g/s1600/DSC00862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bBc4CxXlCEA/T1NNGYWUCRI/AAAAAAAADoo/BPMATmDPn0g/s200/DSC00862.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floating market in Ayutthaya.</td></tr></tbody></table><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ayutthaya Floating Market</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">– The floating market is awesome. On the weekends, it’s a typical tourist attraction but there is so much fantastic food and high quality souvenirs to buy that the locals pour in during the week. The market is a maze of vendors on land and boat. Turn to your right there’s a lady selling mango and sticky rice on a boat, turn to your left – there’s a man selling giant chicken balls from a regular stand. We’ll get to chicken balls later. If you’re lucky, you can catch a performance of Thai dancing and soldiers reenacting the history of Ayutthaya.&nbsp;You can take an elephant ride directly next to the Floating Market.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></b><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></b><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></b><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></b><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></b><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_pxMSqk7aJ0/T1NLS_biY_I/AAAAAAAADoY/tTJ-WKbrFVw/s1600/DSC01137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_pxMSqk7aJ0/T1NLS_biY_I/AAAAAAAADoY/tTJ-WKbrFVw/s200/DSC01137.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main drag of Chao Phrom Market.</td></tr></tbody></table><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chao Phrom Market&nbsp;</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">– WoW. Chao Phrom is the HQ of Ayutthaya. Directly across from “Soi Farang,” all the mini buses meet here, there is shopping and food plenteous. Anything you want to buy is hidden here. On the outside, the market looks like one narrow row chock full of goodies but veer off to the right and you will find yourself in a maze of accessories, clothes, bags, jewelry, and the kitchen sink.</span><o:p></o:p></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal;"></div></span></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Out on the Town</span><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y96cdVJlvys/T1NPQQKQHGI/AAAAAAAADow/kvAm_Vyq_F0/s1600/425660_730265375356_18504526_35733361_377121741_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y96cdVJlvys/T1NPQQKQHGI/AAAAAAAADow/kvAm_Vyq_F0/s200/425660_730265375356_18504526_35733361_377121741_n.jpg" width="148" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hilarious owner at Chang House.</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not much nightlife around these parts but “Soi Falang” (Foreinger Street) is nicknamed for all the right reasons. It has plenty of guesthouses, local bars with live music and Changs on your face all night long. Or at least until 12-ish when they start closing up. You’re sure to meet travelers from all corners of the world, or get tickled by the Thai kiddos hanging out at their parents’ bars. Chang House, Street Lamp, Jazz Bar, and Tony’s Place are all rocking establishments. Just enough western touches but not a tourist t</span>rap.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Restaurants/Food</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Thai</b> - Pretty much every market will have the best Thai food around. Street vendors that have a sit down option usually make the most incredible Thai food for about $1, can’t go wrong. <o:p></o:p><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AJnZ_p0rvVo/T1NQIf49cgI/AAAAAAAADo4/7ZCCiofz5KU/s1600/photo-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AJnZ_p0rvVo/T1NQIf49cgI/AAAAAAAADo4/7ZCCiofz5KU/s200/photo-9.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joyce owner of Ban Kaw Pod restaurant.</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Ban Kaw Pod</b>&nbsp;– A hidden gem a street over from Naresuan. &nbsp;Joyce, the owner, is super friendly and the food is delectable and price is even better. Joyce cooks right in the back with the freshest ingredients from the local market.<o:p></o:p><br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Sai Thong&nbsp;</b>– Grab a table with a fabulous view of the Chao Phraya River and enjoy amazing Thai food. This restaurant is located directly across the street from Chomsurang Upatham School, where I taught everyday. It’s also recommended on Lonely Planet. The crab fried rice is heavenly.<br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">On <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Soi Farang</b>” you can get a decent hamburger at Tony’s Place if you need some beef in your life and across the street at Plan B you can get a tasty pizza, a cheese plate and wine!<o:p></o:p><br /><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sysv0XqoJNI/T1NQzDB9cII/AAAAAAAADpA/qiFg8qfrEFA/s1600/sherwood-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sysv0XqoJNI/T1NQzDB9cII/AAAAAAAADpA/qiFg8qfrEFA/s200/sherwood-02.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front of Sherwood Guesthouse</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sherwood Guesthouse </b>– Patrons can order an actual sandwich on a baguette and a legit Western breakfast with eggs, bacon, and toast. The portion sizes won’t disappoint you. There's also a swimming pool if you want to take a dip.<br /><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></b><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Accommodation</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hw2IrBTcHb4/T1OaOrv07iI/AAAAAAAADqI/TtU0dl3x4ew/s1600/DSC01290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Hw2IrBTcHb4/T1OaOrv07iI/AAAAAAAADqI/TtU0dl3x4ew/s200/DSC01290.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Grandparent's Home.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><b>Midori Guesthouse</b> or “<b>Grandparent’s House</b>” - I lived here during my time in Ayutthaya. I recommend <a href="http://www.grandparenthome.com/">Grandparents</a>, as we like to call it, to anyone visiting the city. The ruins are right outside the door on Naresuan Road. There is a great sitting area in the front of the building where you can relax with a cold one or enjoy a meal from their full menu. You can rent a bike at Grandparent’s or simply walk to the ruins. The rooms are super clean and pretty much everything is new. The family who owns the place is extremely nice and they want their customers to have a wonderful experience in Ayutthaya.<br />&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">So much to see, do and eat in Ayutthaya, so little time! If you need suggestions please email me at <a href="mailto:Alycia@travelonmyface.com">Alycia@travelonmyface.com</a> or post a comment. I’d love to hear from you! If you have recommendations to add let me know!<o:p></o:p></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-1407437928743542582012-02-22T22:19:00.000+07:002012-02-22T22:20:18.549+07:00Walking in a "Winter" Wonderland<div style="text-align: left;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WH4zpGXd4Qo/T0UAnKywaKI/AAAAAAAADno/PDe9WcqJh-w/s1600/388449_10100437642991822_9130442_51734403_1317870626_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WH4zpGXd4Qo/T0UAnKywaKI/AAAAAAAADno/PDe9WcqJh-w/s200/388449_10100437642991822_9130442_51734403_1317870626_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunflower fields in Lopburi, Thailand.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The fall temperature in the Thailand was sweltering at all times of the night and day. I felt like an ant under a child’s magnifying glass when I was on the islands. The day I went on the <a href="http://www.travelonmyface.com/2011/12/sunrise-dive-or-knock-at-deaths-door.html">Sunrise Dive in Koh Tao</a>, the weather was unbearably blistering. After our dive that ended up being most of the day, I was exhausted, hot, and all I wanted to do was sleep but at 2:30 in the afternoon when the sun is beating down on your non-A/C steam room, it’s a bit more difficult.<br /><a name='more'></a> The bungalow was scorching hot, the beach was hot, and I didn’t have any other place to go. I decided to wet myself down from head to toe with ice cold water, put on my ‘Lil Wayne tank and some undies and sleep sideways on my bed to avoid the sun beaming on my face. I had to leave the door and windows open to get some sort of breeze so I am sorry for whoever passed by my room during this “nap.” I tried to sleep for a few hours but I think I just ended up in a sweat coma. That was a low point. I was miserable and had no place to go to escape the heat. I remember vocally giving myself 2 minutes of self-pity. All I wanted was a juicy steak and fully loaded baked potato in an air-conditioned room with a couch and TV. It’s the simple things in life…<o:p></o:p></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6EQxHf70Cx4/T0T7bh27nXI/AAAAAAAADnI/iFGllY2DorE/s1600/DSC00443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6EQxHf70Cx4/T0T7bh27nXI/AAAAAAAADnI/iFGllY2DorE/s200/DSC00443.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lotus flower at Bang Pa-In.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">During January, the air felt like spring time at home. Winter in Thailand is very nice, now I understand why snowbirds flock here for vacation during the wintertime. The Thai people on the other hand, crack me up because they find this climate a tidbit nipply. A high temperature of 78 degrees for them is like 45 to me. It’s still hot as heck in the mid afternoon but the locals are wearing puffy winter jackets, scarves, and beanies while I’m over here wiping sweat from all sorts of crevices. They even wrap up their dogs in old t-shirts because they think the dogs are cold too! It’s pretty common to ride your bike around and see what you think are stray dogs chilling in an old Chang tank top.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eACuLDA6jXk/T0T3fneA93I/AAAAAAAADmw/AVEGBm8KZ2g/s1600/DSCN3824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eACuLDA6jXk/T0T3fneA93I/AAAAAAAADmw/AVEGBm8KZ2g/s320/DSCN3824.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former baseball player.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HBCFPlOfxgU/T0T4L6_tMuI/AAAAAAAADm4/vtq41Ri5sAs/s1600/DSCN3830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HBCFPlOfxgU/T0T4L6_tMuI/AAAAAAAADm4/vtq41Ri5sAs/s320/DSCN3830.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These guys are working for tips.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oj41kyN7Ils/T0T4qtBVJJI/AAAAAAAADnA/O76_npXE8Ok/s1600/DSCN3827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oj41kyN7Ils/T0T4qtBVJJI/AAAAAAAADnA/O76_npXE8Ok/s320/DSCN3827.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chilly puppies playing tug-o-war.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately, the cool part of the winter season only lasts for about 3-4 weeks. Although its not sweltering like it was when I was visiting the islands, I get pretty darn sweaty on my bike ride home from school. Luckily, I haven’t had any heat related breakdowns lately but it’s heating up again…<o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H5UuHjZyA6c/T0T9lrnnnII/AAAAAAAADnY/S2APhIooft8/s1600/386095_10100437648281222_9130442_51734429_224678502_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H5UuHjZyA6c/T0T9lrnnnII/AAAAAAAADnY/S2APhIooft8/s320/386095_10100437648281222_9130442_51734429_224678502_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frolicking in the sunflowers of Lopburi, Thailand.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3xwtZeY1URI/T0T-C166BuI/AAAAAAAADng/TgYIxDoK87o/s1600/DSCN3765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3xwtZeY1URI/T0T-C166BuI/AAAAAAAADng/TgYIxDoK87o/s400/DSCN3765.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunflower fields in Lopburi, Thailand (hidden secret to tourists).</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-64495405966207573862012-02-20T22:23:00.000+07:002012-02-20T22:53:13.287+07:00Robbed in My Sleep in Kanchanaburi<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ETzji1GywS8/T0JZb8XyTnI/AAAAAAAADlk/hKSRVcbQf1M/s1600/390751_10100414210580562_9130442_51658358_1333497772_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ETzji1GywS8/T0JZb8XyTnI/AAAAAAAADlk/hKSRVcbQf1M/s200/390751_10100414210580562_9130442_51658358_1333497772_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Filling out a report at the Tourist Police.</td></tr></tbody></table>When I arrived in Kanchanaburi, Thailand my travels up to that point had progressed beautifully. I was feeling rather chipper and untouchable. I was moving and grooving around Thailand like a pro, meeting marvelous locals and travelers, learning tons about the culture and life, and enjoying the rewards and challenges of each day. Lord knows it wasn’t all peaches ‘n cream but the good days trump the bad or should I say “frustrating” days.<br /><a name='more'></a> The school start date was continuously pushed back due to flooding which meant more travel time for me. Yay! As I’m flying high on my magic carpet feeling as though nothing could possibly go wrong, my world gets pulled out from underneath me when I least expected it and I fall from grace. <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Not So <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jolly Frog</i><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FR-fHF7H-Mg/T0Jan2wHnKI/AAAAAAAADls/lHHCGrmDpYA/s1600/390063_10100414208205322_9130442_51658306_1427103674_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FR-fHF7H-Mg/T0Jan2wHnKI/AAAAAAAADls/lHHCGrmDpYA/s200/390063_10100414208205322_9130442_51658306_1427103674_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pretty courtyard at the Jolly Frog.</td></tr></tbody></table>Leaving the retirement capital of Thailand, Hua Hin, I headed northwest to Kanchanaburi feeling safe and sound and carefree. I made note of a few suitable guesthouses based on reviews and also made a memo of a place NOT to stay, the Jolly Frog. My friend Graham arrived in town before me so I sent him on a mission to find the good places I researched and check out prices and rooms. He called me a few minutes later saying he found a great place called “The Jolly Frog.” Oh hell no! I agreed to at least check it out for myself. The set up was undeniably pleasant, right on the river, the room was decent, a lush green shady courtyard accompanied by cozy hammocks, and the price was unbeatable. I reluctantly agreed to stay at the Jolly Frog. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lfqZcymjP4g/T0JcKoqG_KI/AAAAAAAADl0/KGLDcMmJcOg/s1600/380413_10100414208963802_9130442_51658325_1225303486_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lfqZcymjP4g/T0JcKoqG_KI/AAAAAAAADl0/KGLDcMmJcOg/s200/380413_10100414208963802_9130442_51658325_1225303486_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balancing over the River Kwai Bridge.</td></tr></tbody></table>The first few hours of the trip were very enjoyable; we biked to the <a href="http://www.bridgeriverkwai.com/">River Kwai Bridge</a> and had a balancing competition over the River Kwai Bridge train tracks (I won). We were really enjoying our time exploring this unique part of history. Once we headed back to the Jolly Frog, we grabbed some Thai beers and headed to the beautiful courtyard where other backpackers and even a few locals were hanging out in hammocks on the grassy lawn. I mentioned out loud to my friend Michele that I had a bad feeling about these cats because their humor was a bit rude and I felt like they were making fun of us for being Americans. We just wanted to have a friendly time and socialize! I knew in my gut it was not right.<o:p></o:p><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eHPA4pu_gy0/T0JdPGNyTHI/AAAAAAAADmE/S3OSHK2XcSM/s1600/386189_10100414208839052_9130442_51658323_13345967_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eHPA4pu_gy0/T0JdPGNyTHI/AAAAAAAADmE/S3OSHK2XcSM/s320/386189_10100414208839052_9130442_51658323_13345967_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last moments with my purse and camera.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal">A few of us went to eat dinner together and that uneasy feeling evaporated as we talked, drank, and got to know each other. Later in the evening, we went to a bar across the street from the Jolly Frog called “<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sugar-Member-Bar/129896177056125">Sugar Member</a>.” I had a fabulous time there - tons of foreigners and locals mingling, playing games, and dancing. All good things must come to an end though. I headed back to the room around 3am. Graham followed shortly after. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Getting My Sh*t Jacked</b><br />I woke up at 6am feeling an uncharacteristic chill passing over me.&nbsp; I discovered my guesthouse door ajar to complement a painful thumping in my head. I slammed the door closed and fell back in bed. I noticed my distinctive turquoise purse was not sitting next to the bed where I remembered laying it. Initially I dismissed the thought, my head was pounding too much to think straight, but then I thought, “Wait a sec.” Just to give myself peace of mind, “Why don’t you at least lay your eyes on it and then go back to sleep. It’s probably a better idea.” Still not spotting it I decided to get up, which was painful, and look around. No purse in sight. I walked outside to check the courtyard and zilch, zero trace of any of my possessions. Once I realized someone had been in our room while we snoozed and jacked my purse with a digital camera, wallet, REAL Ray-Bans, and a bunch of cash, my mind began to race. <o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hx4wyj0P8Mg/T0Jkl-X04AI/AAAAAAAADmc/L0TpcxxRnGg/s1600/390791_10100414208245242_9130442_51658307_1485512284_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hx4wyj0P8Mg/T0Jkl-X04AI/AAAAAAAADmc/L0TpcxxRnGg/s320/390791_10100414208245242_9130442_51658307_1485512284_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The scene of the crime: Bottom, left.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lost in Paradise<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Why was the door open? Who would do this? Was it someone we were spending the evening with? Whatever F-bag walked in here saw me all sprawled out in my nighty, who knows what else they could have done! Why isn’t the Jolly Frog Guesthouse doing anything to help? Are they in on the theft? Where are the police? Why do I have this gut feeling that someone at this very guesthouse has my belongings?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">After asking myself the fundamental questions dealing with the situation, I began reaching deeper inside my cranium and interrogating my purpose in life. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">What am I doing with my life here? Will I even teach; do I still have a job? Why am I trying so hard to make life work in Thailand when it was great at home? Am I here to write or am I here to teach? Should I go back home? <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Not only did I lose my new camera full of photos, cash, and my only source to extract cash, but also I lost vital aspects that help me function normally. My sense of security and safety vanished. My own identity and end goal was lost in translation. Working towards a purpose is the best way I operate and as soon as the goal is indistinct I flounder.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">The sense of helplessness that I felt was insurmountable – the police didn’t help, the US Embassy could care less. I realized that I was completely on my own in this huge Asian continent. Mom and dad aren’t here to back you up; everything is up to you. Finding a job, apartment, your way around. It’s a sense of independence that I’ve always been obsessed with to a fault. Now it’s staring me in the face. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">It was an unfortunate event but it was an eye opening experience to finally get my life together and put meaning back into traveling. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Do’s and Don’ts I learned from losing my valuables:</b></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QeK-G-Aowb4/T0JhNzE0w-I/AAAAAAAADmU/3nMzs1faIFs/s1600/383108_10100414210610502_9130442_51658359_1496151770_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QeK-G-Aowb4/T0JhNzE0w-I/AAAAAAAADmU/3nMzs1faIFs/s320/383108_10100414210610502_9130442_51658359_1496151770_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Signing my life away at the Police Station in Kanchanaburi.</td></tr></tbody></table><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1.&nbsp; DO</b> always lock your hotel room door no matter how soon your roommates plan to return.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">2.&nbsp; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DON’T</b> be naïve and trust everyone, you may have a fun time partying with some cool people but you don’t know their background or where they come from. Don’t be stupid.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">3. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DO</b> always check to see if the guesthouse you’re staying with has a lock box in the room or at the front desk. It’s worth it if you have to pay a small fee for the day.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">4. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DON’T</b> lose sight of the big picture when traveling. What is your purpose – traveling, partying, writing, etc? There are many temptations, try not to give in ALL the time.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">5. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DO</b> have you bank account information and a contact number for your credit/debit card that works internationally. If your card gets stolen you can cancel it immediately before someone makes any purchases online or otherwise.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">6. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DON’T </b>wait until you’re overseas to figure out how you can get someone from home to wire money in case of an emergency. This just delays the process because of the time difference plus it takes around 3 days to process anyway. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">7. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DO</b> purchase insurance on your electronics. I used a company called <a href="http://www.worthavegroup.com/">www.worthavegroup.com</a> and was able to get fully reimbursed for my camera.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">8. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DON’T</b> forget to scan copies of your receipts, credit card, license, passport and anything you have with you. This speeds up the process when replacing stolen stuff.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">9. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DO</b> get a police report from the Tourist Police or regular police. The Tourist police usually speak decent English and you never know when you’ll need the report. If you claim anything with an insurance company you’ll need a copy of the report (in English and in Thai) plus the receipt of the item stolen. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">10. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DON’T</b> waste time reporting anything to your Embassy <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">unless your passport was stolen</b> and you need to replace it or you were hurt in some way. They don’t care and it’s usually a big, frustrating waste of time in a long line with crying babies and smelly people. Eww.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hcIKTFoiIGI/T0JfKYlEGtI/AAAAAAAADmM/MUWxUlr00RE/s1600/385113_10100414216034632_9130442_51658538_323332028_n-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hcIKTFoiIGI/T0JfKYlEGtI/AAAAAAAADmM/MUWxUlr00RE/s400/385113_10100414216034632_9130442_51658538_323332028_n-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Putting on a happy face for Loy Krathong. I put bad feelings on my krathong and sent it down the river.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-6760237962452586212012-01-30T18:08:00.000+07:002012-01-30T18:08:53.673+07:00Rock Climbing in Railay<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JfKFyf0OdZ0/TyPX2upFgbI/AAAAAAAACTQ/Cg0SdtroYXs/s1600/IMG_1755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JfKFyf0OdZ0/TyPX2upFgbI/AAAAAAAACTQ/Cg0SdtroYXs/s200/IMG_1755.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spreading it while rock climbing.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MGIwwt_deBo/TyTrFpn3rlI/AAAAAAAADBs/V2lsdARVI7k/s1600/392224_10150519763181411_646371410_11281730_1738787675_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>Railay Beach in the south western coast of Thailand is not only one of the most beautiful beaches in the world it’s also one of the top places to go rock climbing. The white sandy beach is encircled by red, brown and green crags who’s vivid colors reflect on the blue-green glassy ocean.&nbsp;Climbers from all over the earth come to Railay beach and its next-door neighbor, Tonsai beach in an attempt to scale the challenging rocks for an amazing view of the Andaman Sea. We enlisted in Sea Cliff Climbing Company on Railay beach to give the sport a try for us newbies. <br /><a name='more'></a><a href="http://www.icc-info.org/pstambl.php?person=9004&amp;cat=6">Samsuding</a>, “Samsung” our valiant teacher, who we later found out is a world renowned professional climber, has won competitions in numerous countries.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MGIwwt_deBo/TyTrFpn3rlI/AAAAAAAADBs/V2lsdARVI7k/s1600/392224_10150519763181411_646371410_11281730_1738787675_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MGIwwt_deBo/TyTrFpn3rlI/AAAAAAAADBs/V2lsdARVI7k/s320/392224_10150519763181411_646371410_11281730_1738787675_n.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sammy on a seriously difficult climb.</td></tr></tbody></table>After we geared up, he did a fabulous job teaching all the proper techniques of rope tying, belaying, safety precautions, and gave us ample time and attention to get it right. That way when we climbed we were actually spotting each other and not letting him do all the work. I found myself watching other novice climbers on the rocks who had no idea what they were doing and fighting the urge to give them pointers. I didn’t want to be a jerk store though, so I decided to keep my mouth shut. The three in my group did 3 climbs each, starting with an easy and working our way up to more difficult ascends. Sammy must have had a lot of faith in us because by our second challenge we were doing an intense climb. That or maybe we were actually decent beginners.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Each encounter with the rocky peak was like a puzzle you had to put together to reach the summit. Finding tiny spaces to put your fingers and toes and get from one point to another was an exhilarating test, all the while not looking down or letting go. At the end of our first session, I was extremely hot and tired from the suffocating heat and physical exertion but I was hooked! Sammy enjoyed our company as much as we did his, so a day or two later I called him up and he decided to take us out on an unofficial ascent where the real climbers hang. We strolled up to Phangang Beach and headed towards a giant rock with a massive cave you could see from a far distance. The jungle trek to our first climb was the commencement to our adventure for the day. After one difficult climb to begin the grueling day, Sammy led us through the cave with his flashlight and my tiny light.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yww_ZGgqjSw/TyT4vvre3pI/AAAAAAAADF8/3ok4bmEa1-I/s1600/IMG_1963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yww_ZGgqjSw/TyT4vvre3pI/AAAAAAAADF8/3ok4bmEa1-I/s320/IMG_1963.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beginning the trek through the cave.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table>We hauled all of our gear and ropes through the dark climbing over rocks and up rickety bamboo ladders that had been in place for what looked like a hundred years. The pitch-black trudge took about a half hour and by the time we reached the opening on the opposite end of the cave, our breaths were literally taken away from the most astonishing view I have ever seen in any picture or real life. The photos I have certainly do not do it justice. The opening to the cave displayed an aerial view of Railay and Tonsai beach with the colorful long tail boats and kayakers like tiny pieces of confetti sprinkled below us on the water surrounded by the tall brown and green peaks. Each person repelled from the cave to the red rocky ground below and continued a last climb of the day. <o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t5soKPK-1zg/TyTvfh1Eq1I/AAAAAAAADEU/3GfcwtO0c0E/s1600/IMG_1969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t5soKPK-1zg/TyTvfh1Eq1I/AAAAAAAADEU/3GfcwtO0c0E/s400/IMG_1969.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Tonsai (left) and Railay beaches from the cave above.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gx8gcMY6tm4/TyTw0UKV3kI/AAAAAAAADFM/U6upKbNdXzk/s1600/IMG_1988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gx8gcMY6tm4/TyTw0UKV3kI/AAAAAAAADFM/U6upKbNdXzk/s320/IMG_1988.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gearing up to repel down the cave.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--WFOPpirXWw/TyTyqgBqXEI/AAAAAAAADFk/zr_QBRmGaBY/s1600/376935_2078486292361_1551120025_31720486_313788808_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--WFOPpirXWw/TyTyqgBqXEI/AAAAAAAADFk/zr_QBRmGaBY/s320/376935_2078486292361_1551120025_31720486_313788808_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking time to enjoy the scenery from inside the cave.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal">If rock climbing doesn’t strike your fancy, kayaks are fun to explore the beaches and caves that encompass the area. Michele and I rented kayaks and set out just as a torrential downpour began out of nowhere like usual during monsoon season, so we entered a big grotto to wait out the storm. I began to scale the rocks in the cave for my entertainment and nearly sliced my hands and legs open because it was so slippery. Not recommended. The water inside the cave looked as if it’s glowing and made me feel like I was in a dream or and unreal place. Once the rain ceased, we paddled for hours around rocks and inside caves to check out tons of crabs, fish, and tiny grottos. After a few hours of rowing, you can park your kayak at Phanang Beach where long tail boats cook and serve food right from their boat. Kayakers can rent boats for an inexpensive fee per hour or for a half or full day at a discount. There is a ton to do on Railay, it’s a non-stop place to get in all your sporting activities plus a great beach to recover those strained muscles. <o:p></o:p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2uYmfNFGfY/TyT4DK70G2I/AAAAAAAADF0/BzeIxwGY0rY/s1600/IMG_2039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2uYmfNFGfY/TyT4DK70G2I/AAAAAAAADF0/BzeIxwGY0rY/s320/IMG_2039.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michele and I kayaking through a small cave off Railay beach.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--vnVHW5BS8g/TyT2c5Z063I/AAAAAAAADFs/gj_vEwzW6hI/s1600/IMG_2050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--vnVHW5BS8g/TyT2c5Z063I/AAAAAAAADFs/gj_vEwzW6hI/s320/IMG_2050.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boats on Phanang beach that serve lunch right on the shore.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-5941927239959928092012-01-23T11:53:00.000+07:002012-01-23T11:57:17.926+07:00I Almost Drowned in Railay<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PY6NeV4yzwM/TxzbwEPkVfI/AAAAAAAACSM/2tTTa1tVI-8/s1600/shoreline+boats.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" nfa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PY6NeV4yzwM/TxzbwEPkVfI/AAAAAAAACSM/2tTTa1tVI-8/s200/shoreline+boats.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long tail boats on Railay Beach.</td></tr></tbody></table>﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿<span style="font-family: Cambria;">If you have the chance to go to Krabi do it! It’s a city on the southern west coast of Thailand near Phuket. Krabi is divided up into Ao Nang, Railay Beach, and Tonsai, which are the some of the best places in the WORLD to go rock climbing. Tonsai and Railay beaches are next door neighbors, only separated by some rocky peaks but there’s a quirky tide that makes getting from one beach to another a hassle. </span>﻿ <br /><a name='more'></a>In the morning and late evening the tide is super high so you have to take a boat or the infamous jungle route to get from one beach to the other. The jungle route is not a nice little path through the forest, it’s a rock climb in itself without a harness or ropes and it takes a good half hour. During the afternoon, the tide is tremendously low, so people can walk across coral and rocks to get from Tonsai to Railay alongside beached long tail boats. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6duTGuFd-jc/TxzctAz4DcI/AAAAAAAACSU/WocxTe34_e4/s1600/man+and+boy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6duTGuFd-jc/TxzctAz4DcI/AAAAAAAACSU/WocxTe34_e4/s320/man+and+boy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beached long tails boats during the low tide afternoon.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6DL5BdiIWWw/TxzdhF11t8I/AAAAAAAACSc/l8iQPbxxzNk/s1600/colorful+beached+boats.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6DL5BdiIWWw/TxzdhF11t8I/AAAAAAAACSc/l8iQPbxxzNk/s320/colorful+beached+boats.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful skyline with rocky peaks in Tonsai Beach.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Even walking with the low tide, it takes 10-12 minutes to stumble over all the sharp and misshapen coral to arrive at the other end of the coastline. </span></div>﻿ ﻿ <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lIQaSzzfkVw/TxziCBci21I/AAAAAAAACSk/oExvtwWsLFM/s1600/me+with+rocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" nfa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lIQaSzzfkVw/TxziCBci21I/AAAAAAAACSk/oExvtwWsLFM/s400/me+with+rocks.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing the exposed coral during low tide. Notice the tiny figure in the top right hand corner. That's a man.<br />Gives you an idea of how long you're actually crossing&nbsp;the beach.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table>﻿﻿<span style="font-family: Cambria;">After a lengthy day of rock climbing, I met up with my friends Gilster and Katie from back home in Tonsai for drinks and to hang out with the backpackers. It was getting late and Kelly and I decided to head back over to Railay to end the night. At this point the tide was already up, consequently we had to take the jungle route. I had a tiny flashlight the size of my pointer finger and no idea how to even find the jungle path. Once we reached the end of the beach and didn’t stumble upon the land track we decided to get to Railay by water. Or at least I decided for us. Kelly was hesitant but I convinced her that we could successfully make it to the other side. Piece of cake!</span> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">It was pitch black outside and all those large rocks and coral are ever present but now we just can’t see any of it due to the water and darkness. We commenced our way through the water in our clothes and tennis shoes, which I knew, would end up adding to the moldy smell that seems to follow me everywhere. At the start of our watery trudge, it was only ankle deep so we were in high spirits that we could make it to the other beach without a hitch. “Who needs a jungle route!?” As we felt our way from rock to rock under the black ocean, the water quickly rose from ankles to knees. I was giving Kelly one of my usual pep-talks “We can do this it’s only to our knees, we got this!” A few short moments later, the water reached our chesticles. As I’m feeling fishies nipping at my bod I started to think, “Maybe this wasn’t the best idea.” But I didn’t dare say this to my partner in crime! At this point, my curiosity took over and I just wanted to push myself to lucratively make it to the other side. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>I had my purse in one hand raised above my head and a tiny flashlight in the other hand trying to avoid giant boulders in the water and ledges that pop out of nowhere! Kelly has her jam-packed backpack raised atop her head with both hands. If anyone could have seen us, they would have called us “idiots.” I kept saying to Kelly, “It’s just on the other side of that giant rock, we’re almost there! It’s too late to turn back now!” I really did think the beach was right around this giant rock in the water that seemed so close to us at the time. All of a sudden, we stepped from one rock to absolutely nothing. I wanted to keep my purse and the trusty flashlight above water and could not find another rock so I swam hard with my legs to keep myself above water while trying not to giggle (too hard) at my helpless friend. Poor Kelly is swimming viciously to keep her filled backpack above water as best as possible but we are laughing so hard Kelly and I nearly drowned. We both disperse in opposite directions to take hold of the nearest rocks we could find. After we caught our breath and with no ocean floor around us to step on, we decided to tread water because I convinced Kelly that the beach was on the other side of the rocks that were extremely close to us. Once we reached the nearby rocks, we saw the beach…about a mile away. The lights on the beach were tiny orange specks of glitter in the distance. We treaded water for about half an hour from this point, me one handed trying to guide the way with the flashlight; Kelly pushing her backpack through the water at this point. Exhausted, we strolled on the shore in our sopping tennis shoes and clothes to survey the damage: Kelly’s backpack had been completely submerged with her digital camera, large and in charge Fujifilm camera, AND new cell phone. I felt terrible because I had no idea her nice camera was along for the ride or else I wouldn’t have pressed on so hard! We squished back to our rooms in silence. At least we didn’t drown or get eating by sharks. If you're in Railay or Tonsai, make sure to find the jungle route during the day and pack a flashlight!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" nfa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x5tBw5Q_DqU/Txzi8svAJ9I/AAAAAAAACSs/zsL8r540Nz0/s320/kelly+with+rocks.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Kelly with her camera during happier times. RIP Fujifilm.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VG9CI_soOAQ/Txzl3T-YhaI/AAAAAAAACS0/UkwmyVBFsBI/s1600/IMG_1895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; height: 353px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 586px;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mQVK3pb6jho/TxzmQAqY2CI/AAAAAAAACS8/O7gi-5VQPGA/s320/beach+boats2.JPG" width="320" />&nbsp;&nbsp;<img border="0" height="320" nfa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VG9CI_soOAQ/Txzl3T-YhaI/AAAAAAAACS0/UkwmyVBFsBI/s320/IMG_1895.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x5tBw5Q_DqU/Txzi8svAJ9I/AAAAAAAACSs/zsL8r540Nz0/s1600/kelly+with+rocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mQVK3pb6jho/TxzmQAqY2CI/AAAAAAAACS8/O7gi-5VQPGA/s1600/beach+boats2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-10816336667998649802012-01-16T21:11:00.000+07:002012-01-26T07:34:21.412+07:00Pancake Trail Strikes Again - Koh Tao Night Ferry<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P4407hlmQwU/TxQrB_svGQI/AAAAAAAACQ0/TrUHJ1HLDu0/s1600/305375_179086485509639_151046594980295_390752_800463565_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P4407hlmQwU/TxQrB_svGQI/AAAAAAAACQ0/TrUHJ1HLDu0/s200/305375_179086485509639_151046594980295_390752_800463565_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night ferry from Koh Tao to Surat Thani.</td></tr></tbody></table>Leaving the island of Koh Tao was an experience in itself. I have found that the <a href="http://goasia.about.com/od/destinations/a/Banana-Pancake-Trail.htm" target="_blank">Pancake Trail</a> in Southeast Asia is full of quirky little surprises for the modern day budget traveler. One of the most beneficial moves while traveling is to transition from place to place at night – this saves a day for exploring and knocks out a night paying for accommodation. <br /><a name='more'></a>Night buses and ferries are a must even though you usually end up spending the next day napping or extremely groggy. The night ferry from Koh Tao heads to Surat Thani, a large port town on the east coast of Thailand. I bought my ticket for a whopping 700 baht (22 USD) and boarded this ferry for the 7-hour journey leaving at 9pm. The herd of people shuffled on the boat and as I gave the ticket taker my voucher he grunted and motioned for me to move in the direction that looks like the place they keep cattle. I ducked down because the area wasn’t even tall enough for me to stand up straight and waddled over to my number on the ground, which was accompanied by a mat much like you see at a gym and a “pillow”, that was a rock hard block of foam covered with vinyl. Each passenger is placed right next to one another, you share mats with complete strangers stinky or not. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--SG3Br59Gh8/TxQrenUevVI/AAAAAAAACRA/d6ctp0TNTyI/s1600/IMG_1688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--SG3Br59Gh8/TxQrenUevVI/AAAAAAAACRA/d6ctp0TNTyI/s320/IMG_1688.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Below deck on the night ferry with the luggage.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bZCEHvi7EV4/TxQuXDyZBXI/AAAAAAAACRo/8R9UJGMl9OU/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-01-16+at+8.45.13+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bZCEHvi7EV4/TxQuXDyZBXI/AAAAAAAACRo/8R9UJGMl9OU/s320/Screen+shot+2012-01-16+at+8.45.13+PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Sleeping" side by side with strangers. Really great way to get to know people!</td></tr></tbody></table>The whole experience was hysterical, I was just glad the rinky dink wooden boat made it across the ocean without breaking down or sinking. We arrived at the Surat Thani pier around 4:15am, waited for a tuk-tuk that brought us to some kind of restaurant and bus station combo. I waited there until nearly 7am when a large and in charge bus picked us up to bring us to Krabi. There were no seats left on this bus so three girls and me sat in the back on some bench with zero legroom sitting Indian style. Go figure they actually have A/C on this crap bus, but it was practically raining inside with water from the A/C dripping on us the entire time! We had to put our rain jackets on to protect ourselves from the shower in the moldy disgusting automobile.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A5zVzfd2pSA/TxQvAIJCwqI/AAAAAAAACR4/7lvXIsThWU8/s1600/297493_179340885484199_151046594980295_391929_1523300799_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A5zVzfd2pSA/TxQvAIJCwqI/AAAAAAAACR4/7lvXIsThWU8/s320/297493_179340885484199_151046594980295_391929_1523300799_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moldy bus from Surat Thani to Krabi.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uG-nqqcb8L8/TxQvQTdXU8I/AAAAAAAACSA/9YQYxif4TsI/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-01-16+at+8.44.32+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uG-nqqcb8L8/TxQvQTdXU8I/AAAAAAAACSA/9YQYxif4TsI/s320/Screen+shot+2012-01-16+at+8.44.32+PM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to keep dry and warm during the bus ride to Krabi.</td></tr></tbody></table>About 2 hours later I arrived in Krabi, but I was meeting a friend in Ao Nang, which is part of Krabi. If you simply mutter the place you’re going someone will motion for you to load the next mode of transportation. At this moment, I got in the back of a pickup truck with 6 other people plus their luggage and held on for dear life while we swerved in and out of traffic lanes that took us to low and behold another bus station. I boarded a mini bus there and finally arrivd at the Apasari Hotel in Ao Nang. Most of the time the cheap way, is not the most efficient way of traveling but if you have the time it’s worth the money…and the funny stories.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-22347571275992655712012-01-12T20:02:00.000+07:002012-01-12T21:50:07.089+07:00Cricket Eatin', Rooftop Clubbin', Futuristic New Year's in Thailand<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rQig0dOgE88/TwmOB_p2WSI/AAAAAAAACOo/m3LG6gMZxEE/s1600/DSC00337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rQig0dOgE88/TwmOB_p2WSI/AAAAAAAACOo/m3LG6gMZxEE/s200/DSC00337.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at rooftop NYE party in Bangkok.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">New Year’s in Thailand is a holiday celebrated similarly to Christmas in America. Everyone has parties with friends and family, exchange gifts, and eat lots of food at work and school. I didn’t get any time off from school for Christmas but for New Year’s I had a 2-day break, which was magical. After little deliberation it seemed pretty obvious that Bangkok is THE place to spend the holiday while I’m in Asia. <br /><a name='more'></a>The crazy metropolis is a top city in the world to bring in the New Year. Since I’ve been wearing the same 5 items for the past four months I decided to take it to the markets and shop for a new outfit to bring in year 2555 before I entered the packed streets of Bangkok. Although every inch of Thailand is drenched in markets with stall after stall of dresses, blouses, shorts, skirts, purses, shoes, belts, and any type of accessory you can imagine, I found it extremely difficult to find anything to fit my American sized chest. I scrambled all over Ayutthaya on my bicycle dodging traffic and dripping sweat to visit store after store to find something that actually fit me in the right places. I finally found a non-Thai-sized outfit that I wasn’t busting out of the seams and left town.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Prior to the trip, I researched tons of parties in Bangkok and asked around for the best rooftop bash. With so many party options, choosing one proved to be a difficult task. Two girlfriends and I decided on a swanky dinner at the <a href="http://www.imperialhotels.com/imperialqueenspark/" target="_blank">Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel </a>on Soi 22 in Sukhumvit district, which also houses the rooftop party of all time at a club called Altitude on the top of the building. The feast was pricey so only 3 of us decided to indulge but we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rUe1zJXIp6w/Tw6xm1aOVjI/AAAAAAAACPA/5K3nMvXC8wc/s1600/378667_10100485493808402_9130442_51977106_2122891701_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rUe1zJXIp6w/Tw6xm1aOVjI/AAAAAAAACPA/5K3nMvXC8wc/s200/378667_10100485493808402_9130442_51977106_2122891701_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An aroy meal for NYE at Queen's Imperial.</td></tr></tbody></table>When we arrived at the <a href="http://www.imperialhotels.com/imperialqueenspark/" target="_blank">Queen’s Imperial </a>all dolled up, which I haven’t done in months, it was clear we were embarking on a setting a bit out of the backpacker league. But let me tell you, the food was incredible. Pretty much any scrumptious chow you can imagine was there and I’ve been deprived of the simple pleasures in life for so long, like good bread and cheese, and decent chocolate so it was heaven sent. Sushi, salmon 5 different ways, lobster galore, crabs, three different kinds of oysters, cheese from all over the world, mushrooms, mashed potatoes, lamb, roast beef, and non-stop wine flow. Each desert was handmade and like a piece of artwork. Um, yea it was magical.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q755hYkZa6s/Tw61WKnLBgI/AAAAAAAACPM/HWKDgZArpNw/s1600/386129_10100485493858302_9130442_51977107_596761802_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q755hYkZa6s/Tw61WKnLBgI/AAAAAAAACPM/HWKDgZArpNw/s320/386129_10100485493858302_9130442_51977107_596761802_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Round 1 of glorious food at a NYE feast!</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oTkvATGFeW0/Tw63W4JS06I/AAAAAAAACPk/7UqglQxL3Qs/s1600/374275_10100485494097822_9130442_51977112_370087237_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oTkvATGFeW0/Tw63W4JS06I/AAAAAAAACPk/7UqglQxL3Qs/s200/374275_10100485494097822_9130442_51977112_370087237_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sliced meats, yum.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fg5uR7oxDAE/Tw6502KBA6I/AAAAAAAACPw/lnIxA-lQioo/s1600/406670_10100485494432152_9130442_51977121_2129061795_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fg5uR7oxDAE/Tw6502KBA6I/AAAAAAAACPw/lnIxA-lQioo/s320/406670_10100485494432152_9130442_51977121_2129061795_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An assortment of food at the buffet. A work of art.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j7GE3l6jy9w/Tw66QLgeimI/AAAAAAAACP8/d2cB5CRW45w/s1600/397162_10100485494851312_9130442_51977127_1150590549_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j7GE3l6jy9w/Tw66QLgeimI/AAAAAAAACP8/d2cB5CRW45w/s200/397162_10100485494851312_9130442_51977127_1150590549_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand crafted deserts.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xWsCTWPNEg0/Tw6-migg-lI/AAAAAAAACQI/rj56z1Fjpgk/s1600/DSC00292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xWsCTWPNEg0/Tw6-migg-lI/AAAAAAAACQI/rj56z1Fjpgk/s200/DSC00292.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing with our toys for everyone to hear.</td></tr></tbody></table>We drank and ate for hours and enjoyed the live music before heading upstairs for the countdown on the rooftop of <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/287389371296899/" target="_blank">Altitude</a> with our complimentary NYE souvenirs.<br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/287389371296899/" target="_blank">Altitude</a> was supposedly the biggest rooftop hoorah in Bangkok and I’m not sure if that’s a true assumption but it was definitely in the running. Hundreds of people were packed inside the main floor where there were several different rooms with its own DJ and dance floor. You couldn’t get too far without passing a fully stocked bar, so your drink was never empty. Drinks were not included in the cover charge into the club and they were pretty pricey which is to be expected on NYE at a posh rooftop club. The journey to the roof was like a herd of cattle pushing themselves through a mouse hole. The situation wasn’t graceful and people got mean. I made it to the roof just in time for the countdown that was incredible! A vibrant firework show ignited the sky with hot pink and gold glittery colors and our position gave us a perfect view.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E_6NN0aPlJo/Tw7Fr2SEBKI/AAAAAAAACQU/a8QUJNV9SsE/s1600/DSC00302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E_6NN0aPlJo/Tw7Fr2SEBKI/AAAAAAAACQU/a8QUJNV9SsE/s320/DSC00302.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rooftop party at Altitude!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wg1kdJaDUyQ/TwxWhJITizI/AAAAAAAACO0/k2UXj5NtT1k/s1600/DSC00326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wg1kdJaDUyQ/TwxWhJITizI/AAAAAAAACO0/k2UXj5NtT1k/s320/DSC00326.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Firework show on the Altitude rooftop for NYE in Bangkok.</td></tr></tbody></table>Lights from the buildings around us added to the sparkling Bangkok skyline. The rest of the night was filled with laser lights and pulsating music on top of the roof with thousands of bodies dancing until the early hours of the morning.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fFVFIlMV458/Tw7Pq_T0qYI/AAAAAAAACQg/46BZbteUZsA/s1600/DSC00330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fFVFIlMV458/Tw7Pq_T0qYI/AAAAAAAACQg/46BZbteUZsA/s320/DSC00330.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Bangkok skyline on NYE from the top of Queen's Imperial Park Hotel.</td></tr></tbody></table>At some point, my friends and I headed to another rooftop club called <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lushparty">Lush</a> on the 48<sup>th</sup>floor of the <a href="http://www.ucbuilding.com/" target="_blank">United Center Silom Building</a> where many of our other friends had spent the evening raging to music at a similar shindig. The night came to a close around 5am after I couldn’t walk in heels anymore - I’m a bit out of practice in that department. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">New Year’s Day was the most productive hangover day I had in a long time. Five of us headed to the <a href="http://chatuchak.org/" target="_blank">Chatuchak Weekend Market</a>, also called J.J. Market, near Mo Chit stop on the BTS. <a href="http://chatuchak.org/" target="_blank">Chatuchak</a>is the market of all markets. Everything you can ever imagine is stuffed into miles of stalls. I thought the <a href="http://www.grandbazaaristanbul.org/Grand_Bazaar_Istanbul.html" target="_blank">Grand Bazaar</a> in Istanbul, Turkey was the ultimate open market but it’s peanuts compared to Chatuchak. Any type of food, artwork, clothes, furniture and home décor and even an entire animal section with dogs, cats, fish, snakes, chinchillas, squirrels, <a href="http://www.sugargliderinfo.org/" target="_blank">sugar gliders</a>, rabbits, and roosters can be found at this market. Basically it took up most of the day to explore the market and I was so overwhelmed all I bought was Thai tea and some postcards. Since I was unable to meet my New Year’s Day tradition of eating black-eyed peas and cabbage with my family, I consumed a cricket for good luck in the New Year. I think it’s going to be a good one. Once you get past the crunchy crunch of salty exoskeleton and wings its all down hill. You may need a toothpick or some floss afterwards, as the legs and wings like to lodge themselves in your teeth.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xPIVTgHu7Rg/Tw7Yg-yz3xI/AAAAAAAACQs/QqUbTylFzBo/s1600/DSC00377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xPIVTgHu7Rg/Tw7Yg-yz3xI/AAAAAAAACQs/QqUbTylFzBo/s320/DSC00377.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eating crickets on New Year's Day at the Chatuchak Market in Bangkok.</td></tr></tbody></table>If you find your way in Asia for the New Year, Bangkok is a great place to party till the sun comes up. Although I didn’t make it to <a href="http://www.centralworld.co.th/default-th.aspx" target="_blank">Central World</a>, the Times Square of Bangkok, I feel like I got all I needed and more at Altitude. A rooftop party on New Year’s Eve is the way to go, I recommend it to all my patients.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-28459089890537748442012-01-04T22:46:00.000+07:002012-01-06T07:23:33.462+07:00Christmas Caroling Crackheads<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PitoFs-ZnEw/TwWo5Jk0XAI/AAAAAAAACMo/3UQLMvduNbY/s1600/IMG_1190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PitoFs-ZnEw/TwWo5Jk0XAI/AAAAAAAACMo/3UQLMvduNbY/s200/IMG_1190.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santy on Christmas morning.</td></tr></tbody></table>Christmas in Thailand isn’t celebrated but it’s more recognized as part of popular culture and what the rest of the world does. At school on the Friday before Christmas, the Foreign Department hosted a Christmas assembly for the Chomsurang Upatham School. Like everything else, foreign teachers’ involvement is last minute and on spot so you have to be prepared for the administration to ask you to do something on a whim. <br /><a name='more'></a>Jason, another American teacher, and myself dressed as Santa Claus and “Santy.” Someone at some point in time told Thai people that Mrs. Claus’ name is “Santy” and there isn’t any changing it. I stuffed a pillow in my silky Santa’s outfit, grabbed a sac full of candy and strolled down to the courtyard where the students, teachers, and parents would be waiting for Santy and Santa Claus to say a ‘lil something in English.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qIKb7n3JpNo/TwW6MgdoKuI/AAAAAAAACM0/-7FIvKd-UN0/s1600/IMG_0970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qIKb7n3JpNo/TwW6MgdoKuI/AAAAAAAACM0/-7FIvKd-UN0/s320/IMG_0970.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jason, myself, and some of the Foreign Dept. teachers.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XALJTrr2Q5s/TwY2avVVOcI/AAAAAAAACNk/qZ1mVkMEG0M/s1600/IMG_1006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XALJTrr2Q5s/TwY2avVVOcI/AAAAAAAACNk/qZ1mVkMEG0M/s320/IMG_1006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Never know what's going on.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5hTgMY8Arfo/TwY3Ss1bnjI/AAAAAAAACNw/EM7iA1cFvE4/s1600/IMG_0976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5hTgMY8Arfo/TwY3Ss1bnjI/AAAAAAAACNw/EM7iA1cFvE4/s200/IMG_0976.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Santy throwing candy to the girls.</td></tr></tbody></table>About 5 minutes prior, I prepared a brief history of Christmas spiel and planned to just go with the flow. I stepped up to the microphone, which is a usual occurrence for me, and rambled to these Buddhists something about Jesus and the 3 wise men and I don’t know what else, I blacked out. All I saw was about 3,000 Thai teenage girls with blank stares on their faces looking at me. I decided to grab my sac ‘o toys, threw them candy, let them call me Santy for the rest of the day and get out of dodge. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">After school, I took the train from Ayutthaya 4 hours northeast to a small town called Sung Noen, which is 30 km outside of Korat. About 20 of us met from our various parts of Thailand to celebrate Christmas together and Sung Noen didn’t know what hit ‘em.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L5HX3LgeJeA/TwRmKiROdmI/AAAAAAAACMc/OuFBaOFRw2A/s1600/DSC00086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L5HX3LgeJeA/TwRmKiROdmI/AAAAAAAACMc/OuFBaOFRw2A/s320/DSC00086.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gathering on the balcony of our friends in Sung Noen for Christmas festivities.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As everyone trickled in over the next 20 hours, we painted the town red, which isn’t hard to do since it’s just a few streets. The gang stayed at Melissa, who was in our ATI group, and her boyfriend Steve’s place, which was massive and big enough to house the mob of people. When we arrived, our hosts had the place decorated with lights from head to toe including a Christmas “tree” and I brought a Thai “Merry Christmas” banner and hung my stocking by the close line with care. My friend and I chalked up the town with funny phrases and sayings all over town coming from the bus and train station and leading to Melissa and Steve’s house. Pretty much no one in town spoke good English and I don’t think anyone could read English so we didn’t feel too bad about our chalk art.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NF8EdRfKifU/TwW-VwR8TLI/AAAAAAAACNM/Wo-jRa-YfA0/s1600/405514_2374035240900_1551120025_31853415_2033586121_n-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NF8EdRfKifU/TwW-VwR8TLI/AAAAAAAACNM/Wo-jRa-YfA0/s400/405514_2374035240900_1551120025_31853415_2033586121_n-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Merry Christmas from the crackheads!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Asvo9GMcrk/TwY5DMgiioI/AAAAAAAACN8/mLOoCP0s11E/s1600/DSC00122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Asvo9GMcrk/TwY5DMgiioI/AAAAAAAACN8/mLOoCP0s11E/s320/DSC00122.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Christmas spread. Tons of food in bags, the Thai way.</td></tr></tbody></table>As soon as everyone arrived, it was a non-stop celebration and we drank, ate, and caught up for the next day. I hadn’t seen many people since we left Nai Harn back in October. On Christmas Eve, we shopped for white elephant gifts, then took the crew to the night market and everyone bought bags of various food. We had enough food to feed a small army for days but we actually finished it all throughout the night and wee hours of the morning.&nbsp;We ate our rice, curry, fried chicken, pineapple, veggies, and tons of other of Thai food sitting on the floor with our chopsticks and Hong Thong. Thai style Christmas feast can be marked off my bucket list. Dinner was concluded with a white elephant gift exchange, I ended up with a bubble machine that didn’t really work and “Songs for Life” – a Thai cd with crappy music. I gave a bomb gift – a rechargeable electric mosquito zapper and a hat that had a ridiculously huge bill. The one Filipino dude that was there ended up with it and I’m pretty sure he was pleased.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">The party moved its way to the streets of Sung Noen where we broke into a loud, obnoxious Christmas caroling session. People were coming out of their houses to see the farang parade through the streets sing at the top of their lungs to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. The carolers encircled one poor guy sitting at a bus stop and frightened the pants off of him. He had no idea what we were saying and he’d probably never seen so many foreigners at one time in his life. We serenaded Steve’s friend who helped him a lot when he first moved to the town. He and the neighbors enjoyed our caroling so much they bought us bags of beer for the road. On occasion, Matt would bust out a non-Christmas song so quick that everyone just started chiming in singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” or “Sweet Caroline” before anyone realized it wasn’t a Christmas carol.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-64-rlqfZ4zQ/TwY7JStszkI/AAAAAAAACOI/QCfeWErXiEM/s1600/IMG_1137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-64-rlqfZ4zQ/TwY7JStszkI/AAAAAAAACOI/QCfeWErXiEM/s320/IMG_1137.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweeeeet Caroline!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KL7JAui5odA/TwY8QD2Zn1I/AAAAAAAACOU/V2K7KxtJj2s/s1600/IMG_1133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KL7JAui5odA/TwY8QD2Zn1I/AAAAAAAACOU/V2K7KxtJj2s/s320/IMG_1133.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serenading action in the streets of Sung Noen, Thailand.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">The party fumed until the morning and our Christmas day was cut short with sporadic departures. Everyone headed back home to continue the week of teaching since we don’t get any time off for the holiday. It definitely wasn’t a year for drinking hot cocoa and sitting by the fire all warm and snug at home, but it was a fantastic time and I’ll never forget my Christmas in Thailand!<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PF62hhdpuS0/TwY80m2ovdI/AAAAAAAACOg/tz1OBUUs4IU/s1600/383607_10150634759826102_729396101_11631412_555028411_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PF62hhdpuS0/TwY80m2ovdI/AAAAAAAACOg/tz1OBUUs4IU/s320/383607_10150634759826102_729396101_11631412_555028411_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monk Matt just so happened to wrap himself in a blanket that's the perfect shade of monk.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-53928013227676130582011-12-19T23:05:00.002+07:002011-12-19T23:30:54.949+07:00BKK Turkey Day<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o4gKUjK0zvk/Tu9KFC3Y6II/AAAAAAAACHo/NcxMWmTdpH4/s1600/375996_10100414705244252_9130442_51659855_1035858285_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o4gKUjK0zvk/Tu9KFC3Y6II/AAAAAAAACHo/NcxMWmTdpH4/s200/375996_10100414705244252_9130442_51659855_1035858285_n.jpg" width="200" /></a>For most Americans and myself, Turkey Day is normally made up of family, friends, food, football, napping, a game where we end up ticked off at each other, and then more food. That’s great and I missed my family and friends back home terribly this Thanksgiving, but when life hands you raw fish you make sushi!</div><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Over the past three months, several ATI group members from the course in Phuket stayed in close contact via Facebook and email since we are dispersed all over the country of Thailand. A solid crew met at my friend Jess’ apartment in Bangkok to celebrate Thanksgiving American style. Our potluck dinner consisted of the most random array of foods in one sitting most of us had ever had before. I promised real macaroni and cheese to the group (not the cheap stuff), so I had to fulfill my obligation in order to complete the feast. Most wouldn’t think twice about mac ‘n cheese but in Thailand it’s a delicacy. It took two hours to find a block of cheese and pasta in Bangkok! The dish was a huge hit so I am glad I spent nearly $20 (which is a steep price for me these days) and combed the city for 2 hours to bring everybody a little bit of ‘Merica for the holiday.&nbsp; <o:p></o:p></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XRArRRcTn6g/Tu9MGu48WlI/AAAAAAAACIA/xcjmkfHIaDM/s1600/393335_10100654840735768_5739756_58274745_2138909066_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XRArRRcTn6g/Tu9MGu48WlI/AAAAAAAACIA/xcjmkfHIaDM/s200/393335_10100654840735768_5739756_58274745_2138909066_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Macaroni 'n cheese by Leash-Dawg.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XRArRRcTn6g/Tu9MGu48WlI/AAAAAAAACIA/xcjmkfHIaDM/s1600/393335_10100654840735768_5739756_58274745_2138909066_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XRArRRcTn6g/Tu9MGu48WlI/AAAAAAAACIA/xcjmkfHIaDM/s1600/393335_10100654840735768_5739756_58274745_2138909066_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XRArRRcTn6g/Tu9MGu48WlI/AAAAAAAACIA/xcjmkfHIaDM/s1600/393335_10100654840735768_5739756_58274745_2138909066_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CVDNtC9a_oY/Tu9du1-OQNI/AAAAAAAACLw/usLPPX_tbcU/s1600/390182_10100654840321598_5739756_58274743_875290604_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CVDNtC9a_oY/Tu9du1-OQNI/AAAAAAAACLw/usLPPX_tbcU/s320/390182_10100654840321598_5739756_58274743_875290604_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A snapshot of our potluck dinner.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Jess’ roommate introduced the party to a game, which was a combination of rock paper scissors, a train dance, and Thai trash talk rolled into one. Each participant starts with a partner and says a few Thai phrases accompanied with easy body motions and serious attitude, then you have a mini rock paper scissors game and the loser attaches themselves to the back of their former opponent like you are lining up for the train. Two new competitors repeat the scenario and the game continues until all the partakers are snaked around the room in a line dance.&nbsp;</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5oQywL4CoSQ/Tu9RdBARMcI/AAAAAAAACIQ/whlZMfZGwhg/s1600/379071_10100414699580602_9130442_51659818_1642243512_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5oQywL4CoSQ/Tu9RdBARMcI/AAAAAAAACIQ/whlZMfZGwhg/s400/379071_10100414699580602_9130442_51659818_1642243512_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snake to the riiiiiiggggght, snake to the left. El-a-wa?</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ph8aqDFweyc/Tu9O3VrhERI/AAAAAAAACII/MOvqcgggh30/s1600/380016_10100414700079602_9130442_51659822_257950366_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ph8aqDFweyc/Tu9O3VrhERI/AAAAAAAACII/MOvqcgggh30/s320/380016_10100414700079602_9130442_51659822_257950366_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thai trash talk, here it comes.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: auto;">The game was a nice appetizer for the cornucopia of food that followed. During the meal in typical Jack Handy fashion, I announced I was thankful for meeting all of these amazing people and for such an incredible adventure in Thailand then asked everyone to follow suite. You can’t have a Thanksgiving dinner without the “what are you thankful for’s” and I always pull this move back home in America for dinner with my family so it had to be done. The flat was filled with grateful Americans as well as Thais who celebrated their first Thanksgiving. After we filled our bellies with the delicious assortment of grub prepared by everyone, we cleared the living room furniture created an 8<sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">th</span></sup> grade house party with a competitive game of Twister followed by a lights out dance session.&nbsp;</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUW2mhyf8eU/Tu9T4a0LwEI/AAAAAAAACIc/qerMn6PqFYg/s1600/377050_164937913604831_100002658715933_244118_1235160218_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUW2mhyf8eU/Tu9T4a0LwEI/AAAAAAAACIc/qerMn6PqFYg/s400/377050_164937913604831_100002658715933_244118_1235160218_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I believe there is a limit on the people who can fit on the Twister mat.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c4MKbaF_xGA/Tu9YIJc6qzI/AAAAAAAACLI/Nie_OM9Z9cs/s1600/385915_10100414706935862_9130442_51659871_1317695860_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c4MKbaF_xGA/Tu9YIJc6qzI/AAAAAAAACLI/Nie_OM9Z9cs/s320/385915_10100414706935862_9130442_51659871_1317695860_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got kicked out of the game because I couldn't fit on the Twister mat.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div class="MsoNormal">Unfortunately for the other tenants, the apartment has a pool and the party maximized on this luxury. After hours of sweating on the d-floor we completed the night with a loud and potentially dangerous swim/drowning while security guards hushed us the entire time. It was awesome to spend the holiday with an absurd group of people I have shared a bond with over the past few months in a new country! Sadly, Jess and Dwight received a notice letter on their door the next day with a big fat fine for noise complaints and maximum capacities violations.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></div></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lwJZIGX027o/Tu9ZR_66p2I/AAAAAAAACLQ/72DcvUV9ykg/s1600/377361_10100654836179898_5739756_58274726_1976191781_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lwJZIGX027o/Tu9ZR_66p2I/AAAAAAAACLQ/72DcvUV9ykg/s320/377361_10100654836179898_5739756_58274726_1976191781_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Besties, missed each other but excited to spend the holiday together.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jf0kBhyT7oo/Tu9Z_HjlLXI/AAAAAAAACLY/r1V_AUbt764/s1600/381630_10100654836624008_5739756_58274729_174125346_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jf0kBhyT7oo/Tu9Z_HjlLXI/AAAAAAAACLY/r1V_AUbt764/s320/381630_10100654836624008_5739756_58274729_174125346_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First time Thanksgiving for some fellow Thai friends.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Nkm8aSjsow/Tu9al9HJNoI/AAAAAAAACLg/e2u2AcE_6qQ/s1600/383932_693049286696_18504526_35554629_2076387485_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Nkm8aSjsow/Tu9al9HJNoI/AAAAAAAACLg/e2u2AcE_6qQ/s400/383932_693049286696_18504526_35554629_2076387485_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living room by day, 8th grade dance floor by night.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D6oS0n8NUJg/Tu9ayywgz8I/AAAAAAAACLo/Mh9APrVteJQ/s1600/375508_10100654852302588_5739756_58274780_223390147_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D6oS0n8NUJg/Tu9ayywgz8I/AAAAAAAACLo/Mh9APrVteJQ/s320/375508_10100654852302588_5739756_58274780_223390147_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another one bites the dust...</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><o:p></o:p>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-54803997236910737152011-12-15T21:02:00.000+07:002011-12-19T23:09:26.700+07:00Sunrise Dive or a Knock at Death's Door?<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dFNpLPMlKAU/TujPj3SFpfI/AAAAAAAAB_I/6YN4R_09bqE/s1600/kohtaomonsoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dFNpLPMlKAU/TujPj3SFpfI/AAAAAAAAB_I/6YN4R_09bqE/s1600/kohtaomonsoon.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sai Ree beach in Koh Tao during Monsoon Season.</td></tr></tbody></table>Once my friend Michele finished her PADI dive certification in Koh Tao, we decided to do a “Sunrise” dive together. We had to meet at <a href="http://www.bigbluediving.com/" target="_blank">Big Blue</a> for 5:30 am and leave the beach with our gear by 6 am. I dragged myself out of bed after 3 hours of sleep and strolled down the beach in the dark. Even though it was still dim outside, you could tell the weather was going to act up. Monsoon season was in full throttle at this point. <br /><a name='more'></a>All customers and dive guides geared up and headed to the long tail boats to load up when an enormous gust of wind bulldozed through. &nbsp;An earsplitting crash came where the group was huddled and a massive limb broke off a tree above us. It detached, bounced on a tin roof and rolled onto a poor dude that originally planned to dive that day. Everyone sat in shock for a few seconds especially when this guy stayed glued to the sandy floor with zero movement. Several people rushed to his aid to see what damage had been done while everyone else held their breath to see if this guy was even still alive. After about 3-4 minutes, the injured fella gets up with the help of some <a href="http://www.bigbluediving.com/" target="_blank">Big Blue</a> staff and all I can see in the dark from where I am standing was a bloody face. He was escorted to a table for some first aid action, but for the rest of us, the show must go on. I later found out that he had to be taken to the hospital in Koh Samui to be treated for a concussion, stitches, and a black eye and face. Poor guy, all he wanted to do was dive.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-asB2IATzbMk/TujRjuwOR4I/AAAAAAAAB_Y/zq8YV5pgJqw/s1600/383102_10100363794449892_9130442_51414445_1019739131_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-asB2IATzbMk/TujRjuwOR4I/AAAAAAAAB_Y/zq8YV5pgJqw/s320/383102_10100363794449892_9130442_51414445_1019739131_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michele, "Jesus", and Dawg at Big Blue Dive Resort.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I continued to help load the long tail boats with my dive guide who looked exactly like what popular&nbsp;culture has epitomized Jesus Christ to look like. Funny thing is his name is James Christenson and he was 33 years old. Me, “Jesus” and the rest of the group loaded the long tail in an awkward silence still in shock from the events that just occurred. Little did we know that the early morning “incident” would&nbsp;set the tone for the day that lay ahead. Rain began to pour from the clouds when we got on the big boat that takes you out to the dive site and the weather kept getting worse. Before I knew it, we’re getting tossed around like George Clooney in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perfect Storm</i>. Most of us were downstairs in the cabin because it was too rough to be outside on deck. Our boat was thrown from side to side and back and forth continuously at a 180-degree angle. The windows that usually display a lovely blue ocean and the prospects of a sunrise were completely submerged when we swayed from side to side. I began to feel exceptionally nauseous and I typically have a sea master stomach.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YvcX2d5sevw/TujJKLL9kNI/AAAAAAAAB-4/jHjP2Rlj46Y/s1600/george_perfectstorm_579185p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YvcX2d5sevw/TujJKLL9kNI/AAAAAAAAB-4/jHjP2Rlj46Y/s320/george_perfectstorm_579185p.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George Clooney holding on for dear life. Kinda like me.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">People tried to gear up as gracefully as possible but there were limbs and equipment flying all over the place. My tank flew off of the rack and nearly cut my foot off. Finally, I made it into the water at Chumphon dive site in hopes of spotting a whale shark. The dive was absolutely perfect and visibility was impeccable, although no whale shark.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">As we tugged along to Southwest Pinnacle for dive #2, the brand new boat we were on broke down for over an hour! Thankfully the weather calmed a bit, so we weren’t hanging on for dear life but the sun was at full blast and we started the bake session. Eventually the motors cranked up and we made it to Southwest. There were tons of gorgeous fish and again the visibility was amazing. Stunning reefs in an underwater mountain range and vibrant schools of fish surrounded me. Many of the experienced instructors who have logged 700+ dives in Koh Tao said that these were two of the best dives they’ve ever had on the island. I felt lucky to be part of those dives even though at some points I thought we’d never make it back to shore alive.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">By the time we made it back to the beach, it was 1:30 pm.&nbsp; The “sunrise” dive ended up being an entire day of nauseating hell and heavenly beauty!<o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OJhmt6wUXL4/TujNvPtrA9I/AAAAAAAAB_A/Idru2oNJVVQ/s1600/scuba_junction_diving_kohtao_02-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OJhmt6wUXL4/TujNvPtrA9I/AAAAAAAAB_A/Idru2oNJVVQ/s320/scuba_junction_diving_kohtao_02-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whaleshark, maybe we'll meet in real life one day!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-92035755168298965492011-12-12T22:52:00.001+07:002011-12-19T23:08:51.610+07:00Koh Tao - Diving Heaven on My Face<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1zBR5HES1Fw/TuYc_CIfSlI/AAAAAAAAB0E/uhSt6VZ-kzM/s1600/IMG_1672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1zBR5HES1Fw/TuYc_CIfSlI/AAAAAAAAB0E/uhSt6VZ-kzM/s200/IMG_1672.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous beach sunset on Koh Tao.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">When I was a little girl and adults asked me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” my reply without hesitation was “A mermaid.”&nbsp; I actually remember saying this and to be perfectly honest, it’s still true.&nbsp; I love water in every form the lake, ocean, river, bathtub (my friends can attest to the last one).<br /><a name='more'></a> <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Diving to me is the best feeling in the world.&nbsp; When I am underwater I have no cares or worries and everything else going on at the surface washes away.&nbsp; I love how you travel effortlessly in a smooth flow underwater and everything seems to move in slow motion, which I like since I move kind of leisurely anyway.&nbsp; Time passes so quickly when you’re submerged and 45 minutes feels like five, yet the rest of the world has been put on pause. &nbsp;Breathing underwater and swimming among 1000s of different creatures is one of my favorite feelings in the world.<o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lpLhP_yYznc/TuYdzNY0nFI/AAAAAAAAB0M/KDakZANks9c/s1600/305268_10150489393476102_729396101_11038157_65804498_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lpLhP_yYznc/TuYdzNY0nFI/AAAAAAAAB0M/KDakZANks9c/s320/305268_10150489393476102_729396101_11038157_65804498_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Divers + guide on board a Big Blue boat for a day of incredible diving off Koh Tao.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">Koh Tao or “Turtle Island”, a tiny island off the southeast coast of Thailand is THE place to go diving in this gorgeous country.&nbsp; On board the ferry from Koh Phangan to Koh Tao, dive shop reps barter the herd of Full Mooners to come dive with their company.&nbsp; As soon as I stepped off the ferry in Koh Tao, I headed to Big Blue Diving School to check out dives and sign up for the next best thing.&nbsp; Big Blue is a reputable diving company and they are well known on the island.&nbsp; My friend and I immediately added ourselves to the full day diving adventure the following day. Usually your dive company hooks you up with accommodation as part of a diving package but the flock of post Full Moon partygoers heads to Koh Tao after the party so Big Blue was completely booked.&nbsp; We stayed in a budget friendly bungalow down the beach called Bow Thong Resort in Sai Ree Village, which is where most of the action is.&nbsp; Koh Tao is one of those amazing islands where you have tons of different dive shops and schools all run by people from all over the world who share a passion for scuba diving.&nbsp; To go along with the international crowd, there were tons of restaurants and bars to choose from; Zanzibar, Looking Glass Bakery, Suchili, Lotus Bar, Fish Bowl, Davy Jones Locker, Star Bar are to name a few.&nbsp; Not to mention the most beautiful people I have ever seen before flocked to this island. These popular hangouts had beach areas reserved where you can sprawl out and watch the most amazing sunsets in the world.&nbsp;</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CL9LszW8ONQ/TuYeLePR8AI/AAAAAAAAB0U/HDHAakByTdQ/s1600/IMG_1671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CL9LszW8ONQ/TuYeLePR8AI/AAAAAAAAB0U/HDHAakByTdQ/s400/IMG_1671.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relaxing in front of Lotus Bar for the evening sun down after a day of scuba-ing.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2R68r475EDk/Tuc4gtFThBI/AAAAAAAAB5M/iUuVCXsD64Q/s1600/383061_10100586160386738_5739756_57944061_1603891019_n-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2R68r475EDk/Tuc4gtFThBI/AAAAAAAAB5M/iUuVCXsD64Q/s320/383061_10100586160386738_5739756_57944061_1603891019_n-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gals sprawled out at Big Blue watching the sunset and relaxing.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PWnWovM7IW8/TuYfwqZRROI/AAAAAAAAB0c/r4AK_FWwUDQ/s1600/IMG_1673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PWnWovM7IW8/TuYfwqZRROI/AAAAAAAAB0c/r4AK_FWwUDQ/s200/IMG_1673.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Am" the fire dancer for Big Blue.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Once the sun disappears, fire dancers entertain the crowds with their flame juggling and bring the fire to life with their moves and music.&nbsp; There’s oodles of action packed on this teeny little island, you can never get bored that’s why I stayed a week and had to peel myself away when it was time to leave.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div style="text-align: left;">My full day diving trip with Big Blue consisted of 3 dives with a bomb.com leader and an awesome group of 4 divers including me. They keep the groups small, which I really like so you’re not bumping into to people. The entire time during all 3 dives I was surrounded by various schools of fish like a protective shield. A triggerfish attacked our guide, which was dangerous but entertaining to watch. Later I found out the same triggerfish attacked another person only he made it out with 8 stitches in the forehead. Glad it wasn’t me! &nbsp;I stopped several times during my dive to look up at the sky to remember this isn’t a dream and also to thank God that he created such an amazing heaven that I could be part of. I highly recommend going to Koh Tao and diving with Big Blue if you have the chance. Tell ‘em Leash-Dawg sent you.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ccBR6uDPvZo/TuYg8G_NDZI/AAAAAAAAB0k/tD-rfVXfNdw/s1600/300957_10150489393606102_729396101_11038158_1052409914_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ccBR6uDPvZo/TuYg8G_NDZI/AAAAAAAAB0k/tD-rfVXfNdw/s200/300957_10150489393606102_729396101_11038158_1052409914_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bomb dive group I was part of.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i2M5wObl74Y/TuYhTe_xNGI/AAAAAAAAB0s/aH1dO6WQJYI/s1600/303862_10150489393961102_729396101_11038163_587026017_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i2M5wObl74Y/TuYhTe_xNGI/AAAAAAAAB0s/aH1dO6WQJYI/s320/303862_10150489393961102_729396101_11038163_587026017_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the long tail boat heading home after a beautiful day.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><o:p></o:p><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p><br /></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6798772904948162054.post-31098285546615224342011-12-06T22:13:00.000+07:002011-12-06T22:13:07.561+07:00Koh Phangan - Mai Pen Rai “No Worries”<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-da-Ju8-M6rQ/Tt4gK7hTXcI/AAAAAAAABtY/DviqqzD358Y/s1600/IMG_1605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-da-Ju8-M6rQ/Tt4gK7hTXcI/AAAAAAAABtY/DviqqzD358Y/s200/IMG_1605.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beach at Mai Pen Rai on Koh Phangan</td></tr></tbody></table>Koh Phangan is a fairly large island, so since we’d been limited to only a small section of it during the Full Moon Party, about 8 of us moved to the central east coast of the island to investigate what else the amazing isle has to offer.&nbsp; Than Sadet was desolate and difficult to travel to, we had several near death experiences in the back of Pong’s truck on the trek out there.&nbsp; No cell phone or Internet service, ATM’s, or minimarts exist in the isolated region.<br /><a name='more'></a>&nbsp; Than Sadet is the kind of place people from around the world go to get away from it all for peace, quiet, and inaccessibility.&nbsp; The 8 of us kind of ruined that peace for a few visitors.&nbsp; Mai Pen Rai (meaning “no worries” or “nevermind” in Thai) is the name of the bungalows we stayed in for the next few days.&nbsp; The bungalows were literally tree houses placed on the side of a rocky hill.&nbsp; To get to your room, you had to walk across the beach, squeeze through a crack in between two huge boulders, and then hike up the rocky hill to get to your tree house.&nbsp; Definitely not wheel chair accessible.&nbsp; A few of the girls with larger suitcases couldn’t even bring their luggage to the room because it couldn’t fit through the crack in the stones.&nbsp; With my big pack on my back and my small backpack on my front, I felt like a pregnant girl giving a piggyback ride to a toddler up a mountain.<br /><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bLCb9j_xtOo/Tt4g1Lj4qmI/AAAAAAAABtg/F4Eyf3h4E7k/s1600/IMG_1652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bLCb9j_xtOo/Tt4g1Lj4qmI/AAAAAAAABtg/F4Eyf3h4E7k/s200/IMG_1652.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The komodo dragon in the bathroom.</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dCR_aLwngzE/Tt4hSRZzqpI/AAAAAAAABto/dPvI3yPJqYg/s1600/IMG_1657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dCR_aLwngzE/Tt4hSRZzqpI/AAAAAAAABto/dPvI3yPJqYg/s200/IMG_1657.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our tree house!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">Four people stayed in each tree house and in mine had a double bed down stairs and 2 mattresses on the floor in the loft.&nbsp; Both protected with mosquito netting for nighttime.&nbsp; The komodo-sized lizard that stared at me while I used the bathroom was included for free.&nbsp; The room was swarming with insects, lizards, spiders, and other unidentified creepy crawlies.&nbsp; I guess that’s what you get when you are in a tree house!&nbsp; Once we settled our things, we set out to discover a few of the many waterfalls in the area.</div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t7uNA-n1Et0/Tt4j5MSafoI/AAAAAAAABuQ/LdzZMvpgUA8/s1600/312638_2033281282264_1551120025_31687499_1208326902_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t7uNA-n1Et0/Tt4j5MSafoI/AAAAAAAABuQ/LdzZMvpgUA8/s320/312638_2033281282264_1551120025_31687499_1208326902_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wandering down the road in search of waterfalls.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yFJJTcFk4So/Tt4h-ZPF7EI/AAAAAAAABt4/7K5rcFrMcm4/s1600/IMG_1616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yFJJTcFk4So/Tt4h-ZPF7EI/AAAAAAAABt4/7K5rcFrMcm4/s320/IMG_1616.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carinne and I mounting some rocks wi</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R7E7N1qGZrs/Tt4ljNQSR4I/AAAAAAAABuY/rOW1bLXFq1k/s1600/IMG_1626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R7E7N1qGZrs/Tt4ljNQSR4I/AAAAAAAABuY/rOW1bLXFq1k/s200/IMG_1626.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yFJJTcFk4So/Tt4h-ZPF7EI/AAAAAAAABt4/7K5rcFrMcm4/s1600/IMG_1616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XUOKbYaZ5As/Tt4l1D1vHpI/AAAAAAAABug/zpCKL1Iwcjw/s1600/IMG_1637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XUOKbYaZ5As/Tt4l1D1vHpI/AAAAAAAABug/zpCKL1Iwcjw/s200/IMG_1637.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Obzl66PtsHE/Tt4hkZrVCKI/AAAAAAAABtw/cmJt3eloxGU/s1600/IMG_1648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Obzl66PtsHE/Tt4hkZrVCKI/AAAAAAAABtw/cmJt3eloxGU/s200/IMG_1648.JPG" width="200" /></a>We climbed up and down the steep rocky dirt road checking out waterfalls ranging from stream sized to swimming pool size.&nbsp; I climbed rocks and used a rope swing to repel off the rocks and swim in the shallow and refreshing pools.&nbsp; Eventually, everyone headed back and two friends and I strolled off the beaten path and ended up in a palm tree covered forest with coconuts everywhere!&nbsp; During our mission to break open a coconut, we lost track of time and the sky faded into a pitch-black abyss.&nbsp; We had been working so diligently busting coconuts, that’s what she said, we found ourselves sitting in the middle of a dirt road covered in coconut debris in the dark.&nbsp; Luckly, one of us had a tiny flashlight that helped guide our path back to Mai Pen Rai.&nbsp; On route back, we had to take a moment to turn the flashlight off in the middle of the woods to stare up at the sparkling sky.&nbsp; The night sky in Koh Phangan was the most beautiful sky I’ve ever seen.&nbsp; The stars cover every inch of the clear obscure sky like diamonds spread across a black velvet cloth.&nbsp; There were so many stars we were making up our own constellations, my personal favorite: the dog on a leash.<br /><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m8jgsvruZaY/Tt4iOLOF2RI/AAAAAAAABuA/Noumgxls63k/s1600/IMG_1655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m8jgsvruZaY/Tt4iOLOF2RI/AAAAAAAABuA/Noumgxls63k/s200/IMG_1655.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting caught in the hammock.</td></tr></tbody></table>By the time we made it back, it was time to meet the others for dinner and drinks at one of the two restaurant around for miles.&nbsp; We sat around a log table on the floor playing games like Banana-Grams, Catch Phrase, and Contact.&nbsp; The small group of us is having a grand ‘ol time and then at midnight all the lights went out!&nbsp; I’d read about places that turn the electricity out at certain times, but when you check in the staff should give you a heads up and warn you on what time the power is on and off.&nbsp; We didn’t get the memo. &nbsp;Our night it just getting started but when the clock hit 12, we needed a new game plan.&nbsp; The party moved to the beach since it was the only place that was semi-lit up from the moonlight.&nbsp; We climbed up rocks and jumped into the ocean not realizing we were being loud but I suppose since there was nothing else going on besides sleep everyone on the beach heard us.&nbsp; An older British lady came to shore and yelled at us for being “loud American tourists.”&nbsp; Yes, it was disrespectful of us to be loud so late at night, especially when this is a place where people go to get away from the noise and chaos but she had a bone to pick with Obama because she went off on Americans.&nbsp; However, we were apologetic and as soon as she voiced her concern we piped down and went to sleep.&nbsp; The only thing a bit out of line was the loud American comment - from that point on I was “Canadian” whenever someone in the group was inappropriate.<br /><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">It was difficult getting back to the room in the dark and I crawled onto my mattress sopping in salt water and covered myself with mosquito netting.&nbsp; There was no sleeping that night with crazy animal noises all around me and a lizard pawing at my head at one point!&nbsp; The next morning we got beaucoups of evil eyes from the guests at breakfast.&nbsp; Make sure you are respectful if you go to one of the remote areas of any island!<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BdaCQ9TatXs/Tt4rzOogQSI/AAAAAAAABuo/SPMSyfnTGWg/s1600/IMG_1663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BdaCQ9TatXs/Tt4rzOogQSI/AAAAAAAABuo/SPMSyfnTGWg/s320/IMG_1663.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rocky path to get to our room.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q3xsWt-Oytg/Tt4sGTTNLrI/AAAAAAAABuw/FpZ72lSbZfQ/s1600/IMG_1664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q3xsWt-Oytg/Tt4sGTTNLrI/AAAAAAAABuw/FpZ72lSbZfQ/s320/IMG_1664.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lovely view of the beach.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TJwyNRshbc8/Tt4iXbUzCJI/AAAAAAAABuI/BzzX2SNfzEQ/s1600/IMG_1656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TJwyNRshbc8/Tt4iXbUzCJI/AAAAAAAABuI/BzzX2SNfzEQ/s320/IMG_1656.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our tree house! $6 a night y'all!</td></tr></tbody></table></div>Alycia Anglehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425867337621529819noreply@blogger.com2